Yssha's Tale I: Dovahkiin
by empire1003
Summary: Yssha is the greats-granddaughter of the Champion of Cyrodiil, the first of her Clan and Family to take her adventuring year in Skyrim. She is a trained fighter with a few mage and alchemy skills, and has read as much as she can find about Skyrim, but still has much to learn. Now drifting far from canon. T for safety, could be lower. Re-edited through Ch. 41 so far.
1. Unbound

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Chapter 1 - Unbound

When Yssha regained consciousness, her head hurt and she felt dazed. She tried to reach for the sorest spot, and discovered her hands were bound. Huh? She remembered approaching the Skyrim border, but then what? How had she gotten in this jolting cart, hands tied, shabby clothing and boots replacing her leather armor?

"Hey, you. You're finally awake."

Yssha stifled a groan. "Sort of, I think. Do you know what happened?"

"You were trying to cross the border, right?"

"Yes. My adventuring year, and no one in the clan had done that in Skyrim yet."

The man, a Nord wearing blue, chuckled. "Not exactly wise, at this time. You got caught in an Imperial ambush, like the rest of us."

She'd managed to notice that of the three men, one was gagged. The other, who hadn't spoken yet, grimaced. "Damn you Stormcloaks! Everything was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they wouldn't have been looking for you, I would've stolen that horse and be half way to Hammerfell!"

A horse thief? Yssha snarled. She didn't particularly like horses, despite being an accomplished rider, but horse thieves deserved whatever they got, considering how useful horses were.

The first Nord ignored the insult. "We're all brothers and sisters in bonds now, thief."

The Imperial soldier driving the cart looked back at his cargo. "Shut up back there."

"What's wrong with him, huh?" the thief asked, gesturing to the third man in the cart, the one who was gagged as well as bound like the rest of them.

"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!" the one who'd first spoken replied sharply.

The thief paled. "Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion ... But if they captured you..." He clearly began to panic. "Oh gods... Where are they taking us?"

Even in her dazed state, Yssha could understand that, and share it to a degree. However she'd done it, she'd managed to get captured with a group of rebels - worse, a group that included their leader. Since she was the only one in rags, she guessed the Stormcloaks had captured her first, despite the first man saying she'd been caught with them while crossing the border. The Imperials undoubtedly thought she was one of them, and with no way of proving her identity, she couldn't really blame them.

The first man spoke again, turning his head toward the town becoming visible as the cart emerged from the woods. "I don't know where we're going... But Sovngarde awaits."

Yssha nodded to herself. Sovngarde was the Nord paradise, and the man's words just confirmed what she'd thought. It looked pretty bad, but she refused to give up hope. Hadn't Greats-Grandmother Ysshaya been a captive at the beginning of her adventuring career, too? And just look at what she'd accomplished after her escape! Granted, it would take a miracle from the Nine themselves for _her_ to escape, but she had faith in the Nine, especially Akatosh and Talos. She sent up a brief prayer, then paid attention to the others again.

"No.. This can't be happening, this isn't happening..." the thief protested.

There was a brief silence before the first man spoke again. "Hey.. What village are you from, horse thief?"

"Why do you care?" the thief asked bitterly.

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home."

There was another brief silence, then, "Rorikstead... I'm... I'm from Rorikstead.."

The cart was approaching the walled city's open gates. "General Tullius sir, the headsman is waiting!" a guard called from above the gate.

An Imperial officer on horseback behind them called back, "Good. Let's get this over with."

The thief's panic became more open. "Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me." Yssha shared the prayers, but her contempt for the horse thief himself grew. The odds were strong she would die, but with Talos' support, she would do it as befit a greats-grandchild of the Hero of Kvatch and the Divine Crusader.

"Look at him... General Tullius, the military governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him," the first man said.

Yssha snarled, her ears going back. Thalmor! The ones who'd imposed the White-Gold Concordat and went around persecuting any Talos worshippers they dared to. They hadn't dared go after Greats-Grandmother or her Knights of the Nine, but few others were safe. She detested them, and considered them fair game. The Empire disagreed with that, at least officially, but they did tend to turn a blind eye to Talos worship as much as they could.

"Damn Elves. I bet they have something to do with this." The first man looked around as they drove through the gates. "This is Helgen. I wonder if Velod still makes that mead with juniper berries mixed in.." He chuckled slightly. "Funny.. When I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe.."

Yssha would have smiled at his words, but Khajiit weren't built for it, at least not in a way most humans or mer recognized. She looked around, to see a boy in front of a house. "Who are they, Papa? Where are they going?"

The boy's father put a hand on his shoulder. "You need to get inside."

"Why?" the boy protested. "I want to watch the soldiers."

The father pushed him to the door. "Inside the house. Now."

The boy went inside, grumbling.

The carriage was slowing. "Why are we stopping?" the horse thief demanded, his voice shaky.

"Why do you think?" the first man said. "End of the line."

The carriage stopped and the first man began to rise. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."

Yssha rose as well. She was shaky, which was annoying. Yes, she was frightened, but that wasn't why she was shaky, and she was unhappy that anyone might think it was.

"No! We're not rebels! You can't do this!" the thief protested.

The first man - Yssha wished she knew his name - said, "Face your death with some courage, thief."

The thief turned to Ulfric. "You've got to tell them, we weren't with you! This is a mistake!" He got out of the carriage with the rest of them, though.

A female Imperial officer called out, "Step towards the block when we call your name! One at a time!"

The first man grumbled, "Empire loves their damn lists.."

Another Imperial soldier read from the list he held. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm."

Ulfric walked towards the block, and the first man gave him a respectful nod. "It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric."

The next name gave her the one she'd wanted. "Ralof of Riverwood." He also walked towards the block.

"Lokir of Rorikstead."

The horse-thief's panic was full-blown now. "No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" And he dashed up the street.

"Halt!"

Lokir kept running. "You're not going to kill me!"

"Archers!" the woman officer snapped.

The response was immediate - good discipline, Yssha thought - and seconds later, Lokir was dead in the street.

"Anybody else feel like running?"

The list-reader's attention finally turned to her. "Wait ... You there. Step forward." When she moved a bit closer, he continued. "Who are you?"

Yssha drew herself up. Not that he would believe her, not the way she was dressed, and of course she couldn't prove her identity, but ... "I am Yssha, of Clan and Family Ysshaya."

She was right, but the man had excellent control; he only looked a little dubious when he said, "You claim a noble and honorable family, Khajiit." He turned to the woman. "Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list."

As Yssha had expected at this point, the captain replied, "Forget the list. She goes to the block."

The soldier nodded. "By your orders, Captain." He turned back to Yssha. "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Cyrodiil and the Family you claim. Follow the captain, prisoner."

Yssha ignored the rest for a bit, composing herself and offering what were probably her final prayers, until a deep roar echoed through the streets. "What was that?" someone demanded.

"It's nothing. Carry on."

"Yes, general Tullius!" the captain responded. She turned to a priestess standing next to her. "Give them their last rites." The priestess raises her hands to the sky. "As we commend you souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are-"

A Stormcloak near Yssha interrupted, moving to the block. She closed her eyes and quit listening. She'd seen beheadings before, and saw no reason to watch this one. A thud and the smell of blood told her when it was done; her imagination did the rest.

"Next, the cat!"

Yssha moved forward as the roar sounded again. She was curious about its origin, but at this point, certain she'd never find out.

She was wrong. Her head was forced to the block, and the headsman was raising his weapon, when something huge and black landed on the city's keep and roared again.

"Dragon!" someone yelled. Then confusion made her dazedness worse, and she wasn't sure what was happening, other than running and yelling. The next thing she was sure of, Ralof and the list-reader - Hadvar, she learned - were yelling at each other, both of them calling for her to follow.

For one of her Clan and Family, the response was automatic; she followed Hadvar into the keep, and a barracks room where he cut her free, urging her to find armor and weapons. It wasn't great quality, but she did feel more comfortable armed and armored. It helped even more that her dizziness and nausea were starting to subside; with Legionnaires and Stormcloaks both in the keep, there was bound to be fighting.

She found out almost immediately that she was right. Down a corridor, they found a room with one dead Stormcloak and two living ones. Yssha still wasn't back to top form after what she'd been through, but Greats-Grandmother had seen to her training personally, so she was used to fighting at less than her best. She managed one of the Stormcloaks while Hadvar took out the other.

These were more difficult than the bandits she'd fought back in Cyrodiil, but then these were trained soldiers, like the Knights she'd been fostered with, though not _that_ good. She took time to gather what loot she could; she'd need money to live on until she could get to Whiterun, with no idea how long that would be. Into a storeroom with two more Stormcloaks and a repeat of the previous battle. Hadvar urged her to go through the barrels for supplies, which she did, finding a sack as well to carry her loot in. A backpack would have been better, but there were none laying around.

They came to an interrogation room next, Hadvar expressing his regret that torture for information was a necessity. Yssha agreed, but had to save her breath for a battle with the three Stormcloaks who were also there. After the battle, Hadvar gave her a couple of lockpicks, suggesting she try to open a cell with a dead mage inside.

These lockpicks weren't exactly like the ones she'd trained with, but Yssha had no trouble with the lock, and soon had the valuables (including the mage's robe and hood) in her loot bag. She spotted a knapsack on a nearby table. It was too small for her loot, but did contain more lockpicks, and there was a book she hadn't read that probably held more information about Skyrim, so she added that as well.

Through more corridors, until they came to what looked like a natural cave, with still more Stormcloaks. Yssha spotted a pool of oil, far enough from her and Hadvar to be safe for them, and cast a Flame spell to ignite it and at least distract the Stormcloaks. She cat-grinned as it caught, then turned her attention to the closer Stormcloaks. It took longer this time, since there were more of them, and she and Hadvar both sported wounds when the battle was over. She took time to heal both of them, which surprised him.

Hadvar started to ask her about some things, then shook his head. It could wait till they got out of here and on the road to Riverwood, at least, but it was nice not to have to wait till he could find a real Healer. They were at a drawbridge now, and he pulled the lever to lower it. They'd barely gotten across before a rockfall destroyed it. "Won't be going back that way," he commented drily.

"I don't think so," Yssha agreed in a similar tone. "Uh-oh, what are those things?" Something large, but it was so dim even her Khajiit night-vision couldn't make them out until they got closer. They looked like spiders, but much too large -

"Frostbite spiders," Hadvar said. "Watch out, they spit poison."

Yssha yowled as one of them hit her with just that. Her armor kept most of it off, but she did get a few spatters on unprotected fur, and what got through to skin hurt! She attacked the closest one, wishing she had a mace for this rather than a sword, but no such luck. Once they were dead, the two continued on, deeper into the caverns. Not long afterward, Hadvar handed her a bow and some arrows, suggesting they sneak past a bear he'd spotted ahead.

Yssha agreed, and went into stealth mode. She wasn't _horrible_ at archery, but it wasn't her strongest skill, either. Finally, she saw light ahead, and felt a sense of relief as they emerged from the cave.

She heard something overhead as Hadvar urged her down. She looked up at the sky, and saw the dragon flying over as the two of them crouched near a rock.

Eventually, when it didn't return, Hadvar rose. "I think it's gone for good. Let's get down to Riverwood. I'll introduce you to my uncle Alvor, the smith, and his wife Sigrid. And you can sell some of that stuff at the Riverwood Trader." He paused. "You were good back there. And thanks for the healing - I certainly wasn't expecting that. You acted like a veteran."

Yssha purred briefly at the compliments. "Thank you. I've never been attacked by a dragon before - I thought they went extinct ages ago - but that was far from my first dungeon run."

"I can believe it," Hadvar said, as they started down the road. "I'm not a very good judge of Khajiit age, but you seem young to have been in many dungeons. You're a much better fighter than I'd have guessed from your apparent age, too, and a bit of a mage as well. That's rare."

Yssha came as close to chuckling as she could. "I told you my Clan and Family. For us, it's not even all than unusual, considering Greats-Grandmother's abilities."

"Yes, you did - and now I think I believe you. Greats-Grandmother would be the most honored Ysshaya, Hero of Kvatch, Champion of Cyrodiil - "

"And a great many other titles." Yssha broke in before he could recite the whole list.

"Pardon me for asking, but when did she die? I would have thought that would be news throughout the Empire."

Yssha 'chuckled' again. "I'm sure it would have been, but I interrupted before you got to her title as Archmage of the Mages Guild at Arcane University. Powerful mages, which she is, can live an _awfully_ long time. She is alive and well, still looks about my age, and oversaw my training personally." Yssha hid a wince at the memory. "So, while I am the first to admit I have a tremendous amount still to learn, I am also not your typical novice adventurer."

"I can testify to that, and will as soon as I get to Solitude and report in. You ought to think about joining up; you'd be a terrific legionnaire. If I were you, though, I'd avoid Imperial encounters until you can get to Solitude yourself, and get a pardon from General Tullius."

That sounded like excellent advice, so Yssha nodded. "I will, thanks."

They walked on silently for a bit, then Hadvar pointed up and to their left. "See that ruin up there? Bleak Falls Barrow. When I was a boy, that place always used to give me nightmares. Draugr creeping down the mountain to climb through my window at night, that kind of thing. I admit, I still don't much like the look of it."

"Draugr?" Yssha asked. "I've read about them, but the books we have didn't go into much detail. I gather they are some sort of undead?"

"Yes, Nords who died and were buried in the barrow. We don't know how they got reanimated, but they're dangerous, even the relatively weak ones. I'd hate to face one alone."

Then she wouldn't, Yssha decided. Her 'equivalency stipend' should allow that, as well as the base of operations and two or three months of maintenance, especially if she could supplement it with recovered loot.

Which reminded her. The stipend had been entrusted to the Jarl's steward at Whiterun, so she had to get there. "Is Whiterun far from Riverwood? My clan has some money for me there."

Hadvar laughed. "Not a typical adventuring novice at all, with money waiting! No, it's only a couple of hours' walk. But why would your clan send money ahead?" He paused. "I'm not trying to pry, it's just extremely unusual."

"I am of an unusual clan, remember? Well, those of the clan who do their adventure year within Cyrodiil - which is most of them - have the clanhomes to live in, store their loot, sleep safely, and eat until they either decide on another way of life, or their adventuring can support them. Those of us who decide to take our year out-province are given a one-time stipend so we are not placed at a disadvantage."

"Ah." Hadvar nodded. Definitely an unusual clan and family, but what else could one expect from the Champion of Cyrodiil? "May I ask why you chose Skyrim?"

"Because no one else in the Clan had come here," Yssha replied promptly. "Your terrible weather, you know." She hesitated. "And ... Greats-Grandmother had a feeling, the same one that made her take my training under her command, that this was the place I should come. This one does not challenge the Divine Crusader's feelings."

Hadvar swallowed a curse. Damn, she was right, and suddenly slipping into super-formal mode was ... unsettling, when she didn't normally use it. "Our weather isn't always awful," he said cautiously. "Falkreath Hold can be very nice most of the year, if you can find a place there."

Yssha was surprised, but all she said was, "Thank you. I will try."

They walked quietly for a bit more, then Yssha saw what looked like Standing Stones, and Hadvar almost immediately pointed them out. "These are the Guardian Stones, three of the thirteen ancient standing stones that dot Skyrim's landscape. Go ahead, see for yourself."

Yssha obeyed. Thief, Mage, and Warrior Stones, was it? She'd had training in all three disciplines, but Warrior appealed to her most, so she approached and touched that one. She felt a surge of warmth, and turned back to Hadvar.

"Warrior, good! I knew you shouldn't have been on that cart the minute I laid eyes on you."

Yes, he'd protested that she wasn't on the list, which had been all he could do under Legion discipline.

They continued to Riverwood in companionable silence, interrupted only by a couple of wolves, which they handled easily.

Riverwood was a small town, not particularly impressive, but not shabby like some, either. Hadvar led Yssha to the blacksmith, and they spoke briefly before going inside. The family talk, once there, rather left her out, but gave her a chance to eat and rest, so she didn't object.

She did need to know one more thing, though, after she'd agreed to take a message to the Jarl of Whiterun for Alvor - which fit her own needs, after all. She followed Hadvar over to a corner table near a bed. "Hadvar ... when I crossed the Skyrim border, I was wearing acceptable, if not really good, leather armor, and had a steel sword. When I woke in the cart, I was in rags. The rest were in what looked like their own clothes, even the horse thief. Do you have any idea why?"

Hadvar frowned. then spoke slowly. "You're from Cyrodiil, so you know the Empire doesn't steal prisoners' clothing. If the horse thief had, he would've been wearing your armor. So I can only guess - and that's all it is - the culprit was the Stormcloaks, before the ambush."

Yssha nodded. "That was my analysis, as well, though less detailed. So yes, I shall join the Legion when I reach Solitude. Though that may take some time; Greats-Grandmother made some recommendations I need to take care of first."

Knowing Greats-Grandmother's identity, Hadvar nodded. "Of course. Just remember to stay clear of Imperial soldiers until you've spoken to General Tullius."

"I will."

Yssha made her way to Whiterun, after selling her loot in the Riverwood Trader and accepting a task from its owner (Greats-Grandmother said to always accept tasks, unless you had a compelling reason not to). It was an easy trip, in pleasant weather, and the only obstacle was a couple of wolves. As she neared the city, she saw a giant under attack by some warriors, but by the time she got there, the battle was over, so she shrugged and continued her journey.


	2. To the Jarl

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Chapter 2 - To the Jarl

When she got to Whiterun, Yssha found the gates locked. A guard challenged her, but when she told him she'd come from Riverwood, he admitted her with no further argument.

As soon as she entered the city, Yssha saw an Imperial officer arguing with a woman, obviously the town's blacksmith, about getting an order of swords. She was protesting that she couldn't fill an order that size on her own, and suggested asking Eorlund Gray-Mane for help. That suggestion got a snort and, "I'd sooner bend my knee to Ulfric Stormcloak. Besides, Gray-Mane would never make steel for the Legion."

"Have it your way," the smith said, sounding resigned. "I'll take the job, but don't expect a miracle."

That gave Yssha an idea, and when the Imperial left, she approached the smith, introduced herself as Yssha from Cyrodiil, and asked if the smith, who introduced herself as Adrianne Avenicci, if she could use any help around the forge. She chuckled briefly to herself as Adrianne gave her some materials and an aptitude test, which Yssha passed easily. Her smithing was basic, iron and steel, but at that level she was quite competent.

While she worked, she and Adrianne chatted, letting her ask about Whiterun and where to find the Jarl's steward, who turned out to be her father. Adrianne asked Yssha to deliver a sword she'd forged for the Jarl to him, which got Yssha directions to Dragonsreach, a well-made greatsword to deliver, and an offer of a job if she ever found herself at loose ends. Yssha had been hoping for that, and said, "I thank you, but right now I have to deliver a message to the Jarl - and this sword to your father. Afterwards, certainly, unless the Jarl wants me to do something."

Adrianne chuckled. "Fine. And keep the dagger and helmet I tested you on. If they aren't what you personally prefer to use, they're good enough to bring a few septims."

"Thank you," Yssha said. She would sell them, yes; after she'd spoken to Proventus, she would have enough money to replace her lost armor and mace, maybe even with better. For now, though, she made her way through the streets and up a lot of stairs to the Jarl's palace. It was surprisingly attractive, with waterfalls and pools - and definitely impressive, stone and simply huge. Inside, she found a very large room with firepit and tables, a throne at the far end ... and an imposing Dunmer woman coming her way with a drawn sword. Probably the Jarl's housecarl, Yssha supposed.

Her guess was confirmed when the woman identified herself and demanded Yssha's business.

"I was in Helgen when the dragon attacked. Alvor, in Riverwood, said I should report to the Jarl."

That didn't seem to improve the Dunmer's temper, but she did lower the sword. "The Jarl will want to see you, then. Come along."

Yssha followed her toward the throne, where Jarl Balgruuf was arguing with Proventus.

"My lord. Please," Proventus was saying " You have to listen. I only counsel caution. We cannot afford to act rashly in times like these. If the news from Helgen is true... well, there's no telling what it means."

"What would you have me do, then? Nothing?" Balgruuf demanded.

"My lord. Please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more information before we act. I just..."

Balgruuf glanced in Yssha's direction. "Who's this, then?" he asked Irileth.

Irileth repeated what Yssha had told her, and the Jarl turned his attention to the Khajiit. "So. You were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?"

"Yes. The Imperials were about to execute Ulfric Stormcloak. Then the dragon attacked."

The Jarl snorted. "I should have guessed Ulfric would be mixed up in this." He turned back to Proventus. "What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"

Irileth spoke before Proventus could reply. "My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains..."

"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" Proventus protested. He seemed to do that a lot, Yssha thought. "He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him."

"Enough!" Balgruuth snapped. "Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."

"Yes, my Jarl." She moved away.

Proventus tried again. "We should not..."

"I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!"

"If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties," Proventus said stiffly.

"That would be best," Balgruuf agreed, turning his attention to Yssha again as Proventus moved to one side. "Well done. You sought me out, on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it. Here, take this as a small token of my esteem."

He handed her a leather cuirass that felt enchanted, but she couldn't identify what enchantment it was without time to study it, and Balgruuf was continuing. "There is another thing you could do for me. Suitable for someone of your particular talents, perhaps. Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and... rumors of dragons."

Yssha thought about pausing to deliver the sword and pick up her gold, but she didn't want to offend the Jarl, so she followed. It could wait until this Farengar had told her what he wanted. As they were walking to a side room, Balgruuf commented, "Farengar is probably puttering around in his lab. Day and night. I'm not sure he ever sleeps."

The room they entered had two worktables, one for alchemy and one for enchanting, so this was obviously the mage's laboratory, and the tall man in robes the mage himself. "Farengar, I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill her in with all the details. This is a priority now. Anything we can use to fight this dragon, or dragons. We need it, quickly. Before it's too late."

"Of course, Jarl Balgruuf. You seem to have found me an able assistant. I'm sure she will prove most useful."

The Jarl turned back to her. "Succeed at this, and you'll be rewarded. Whiterun will be in your debt." He left before she could say anything, so she turned to Farengar, who began speaking.

"So the Jarl thinks you can be of use to me? Oh yes, he must be referring to my research into the dragons. Yes, I could use someone to fetch something for me. Well, when I say fetch, I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there."

"What does this have to do with dragons?"

"Ah, no mere brute mercenary, but a thinker - perhaps even a scholar? You see, when the stories of dragons began to circulate, many dismissed them as mere fantasies, rumors. Impossibilities. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible. But I began to search for information about dragons - where had they gone all those years ago? And where were they coming from?"

Interesting questions, Yssha thought, but irrelevant at the moment. "What do you need me to do?"

"I, ah, learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow - a 'Dragonstone,' said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, find this tablet - no doubt interred in the main chamber - and bring it to me. Simplicity itself."

"I will return as soon as I can," Yssha said, and went over to Proventus. She introduced herself to him fully. "I am Yssha of Clan and Family Ysshaya. My family sent you something to hold for me, and your daughter asked me to bring you this sword."

"Yes. I've been expecting you, and you match the description I was given; your money is in my office." He took the sword. "Follow me. I'll give this to Balgruuf at a ... more appropriate time."

She followed him upstairs and into a neat office. He put the sword on the desk, then went to a safe and opened it. "Do you want the entire amount now, or should I hold on to part of it for you?"

"Um." Greats-Grandmother had recommended she contact and join the Thieves Guild in Riften as soon as she could. The fastest way to get there would be to hire a carriage at the stable she'd passed on the way in. Plus, from what she'd read, Riften didn't sound very attractive, but getting a base was a high priority, and property values there were probably low, so she could stretch her funds further. Plus, again, from what Hadvar had said she really ought to hire a mercenary, and she definitely needed a better weapon before she went into the barrow. "The full amount, please."

"I don't think that wise, but it's your money." He sighed, handing her a coin purse. "Ten thousand septims. Feel free to count it if you wish, but I assure you, it's all there."

Yssha knew it was; these funds were always in a purse enchanted to allow only the owner, in this case Yssha herself, to remove the money. But all she said was, "The money wouldn't have been sent to anyone untrustworthy, and you are steward to Jarl Balgruuf." He didn't reply, so she left.

Yssha could have used one of the unconventional spells Greats-Grandmother had designed to get to the stables in zero time, but she preferred not to show everything she could do unless she had to, so she walked. To her surprise, it was only twenty septims for a ride to Riften, and she paid without hesitation. The carriage wasn't very well-sprung, so the ride was almost as rough as her first cart ride had been, but it was a safer way than walking, as well as being faster.

She thanked the driver when they arrived and gave him a small tip, then headed for the city gates. A guard there wanted her to pay an entry tax, which she protested, naturally enough; city guards were supposed to help people, not practice extortion, and she said so. The guard hushed her, then opened the gates, so even in the city of thieves there was _some_ shame.

She encountered a couple of people, but since her interest right now was finding the Thieves Guild, she didn't stop to chat. Where, though? This late in the day, probably the local tavern, she decided. At least that was where Greats-Grandmother's tales had them in the early evening, and something called the Bee and Barb straight ahead of her should be just that.

When she opened the door, she knew immediately that she'd been right. Almost immediately, she was approached by a tall, red-haired Nord. "Ah, lass - I can tell you didn't come by your money honestly. I can show you a way to make more, if you like."

Yssha purred briefly in amusement. "You are mistaken, but if you are who - or rather what - I think you are, I wish to join your ... organization. I am Yssha of Cyrodiil."

Unexpectedly, the man laughed. "And I'm Brynjolf, lass. With coloring and a name like that, you must be a relation of the head of our companion group in Cyrodiil."

"She is my greats-grandmother, yes. How did you know?"

"I met her when I was doing some work in her territory. How's she doing?"

"Fine," Yssha replied. "Though she turned that job over to her second a few years ago, when I started the advanced training for my adventure year."

"And she sent you to us, knowing you'd need at least some of our services." That was a statement, not a question.

"Yes. She recommended that I do so as one of my first acts. I just arrived from Whiterun."

"Whiterun? Then you know about the dragon."

"Actually, I was in Helgen when it attacked. I was one of the few who escaped."

"Ah." Brynjolf smiled at her. "Well, lass, we owe your greats-grandmother several favors. Mercer said that if any of her kin came to us, they were to be accepted without any initiation test. He'll welcome you whenever you can make it to the Ragged Flagon, down in the Ratway. You'd pass the tests anyway, knowing her."

That was a relief; some of the initiation tests Greats-Grandmother had described were distasteful. Not that she liked thievery in general, but the Guild was the best source of information in Tamriel, and access to a fence was essential for an adventurer, since Greats-Grandmother said it was practically impossible to avoid stealing completely. "Thank you. I shall go there as soon as I finish a mission I must do for the Jarl of Whiterun."

"I'll tell Mercer you're coming. then. I think he'll have a job waiting for you."

"Very well; thank you again." Yssha paused. "If it is not too much trouble, do you know a good mercenary who is looking for work?"

"Of course." Brynjolf looked mildly offended at the question. "What kind? Sellsword, I assume."

"If necessary, but I would prefer a mage, if there are any."

"You're in luck, then." Brynjolf gestured toward a man in mage robes sitting on a bench by one of the inn's doors. "Marcurio over there is between employers at the moment. He can be annoying, and he's got quite the ego, but he's damn good, so I suppose he's earned the ego. And he's not too picky about the legalities, so he should be just what you need."

"thank you again." Depending on his particular skills, she might need to find him some armor, but she had the cash for it, so that wasn't a problem.

She made her way through the crowd, seeing him grin when he realized he was her objective.

He rose and gave her a sweeping bow. "The only thing better than a powerful mage fighting at your side is... well, nothing, really."

"And how much does a powerful mage charge, and for what term?" She found his words more amusing than irritating, though it was easy to see how some people would feel otherwise.

"For a pretty young Khajiit like yourself, five hundred gold, until you decide to dismiss me."

That was expensive, but if he were as good as Brynjolf said, he'd be worth it. She handed over the fee. "Done, then. We leave for Whiterun in the morning."

"As you wish," he said. "I'll meet you at the stable then." He headed for the bar, looking amused.

The next morning, as promised, he met her at the stable, and they were soon on the road. He gave her an amused smile. "May I know the name of my employer, and what I've gotten myself into this time?"

"Yssha, of Clan and Family Ysshaya." To her surprise, he looked impressed, rather than dubious, and nodded.

"With your coloring, I thought you might be. Not very many Khajiit have that creamy color with dark points."

True, Yssha thought. Most were variations of tabby, and most of those were some shade of gray; even solid colors were more common than the odd coloring that showed up now and again in her Family. "As for what you've gotten yourself into, I have been tasked with retrieving a certain item - two of them, actually - from Bleak Falls Barrow. Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. I'm not particularly fond of draugr, but they aren't all that bad. You're on your adventuring year, then?"

She nodded, surprised. "Not many people in Skyrim seem to know about that. You must come from Cyrodiil yourself, then."

"Skingrad, actually. Marcurio Marcellus Julian, at your service. Or for the last few years, Marcurio Marcellus." He grimaced." My father disinherited me when I became a mercenary."

"I think I remember hearing about that while I was fostered at the Priory." Yssha decided it would be less than polite for her to say what she thought of his father's decision, so she decided to change the subject.

"Really, you fostered there?" He looked impressed for the second time. "Those people are tough! You're not a Knight, are you?"

"I have most of the skills, but no, I'm not. That isn't the sort of life I care for. I'm far too conventional for a monastic life, even in a militant order."

Marcurio chuckled. "Good. You're much too pretty for that." He flushed briefly. "Forgive me. Um, do you know any spells to go along with your combat skills?"

"A few. Flames, Healing, Sparks, and three of Greats-Grandmother's custom ones. Pathfinding, Teleportation, and Summon Person." She grimaced. "Though when I was younger, I had that last one used on me a lot, rather than using it myself. We kittens had a bad habit of wandering off, and she designed it specifically to retrieve us."

This time, he looked intrigued. "Those last three are new to me. How do they work?"

"Well, Pathfinding is just what it sounds like. If you have an established goal, you cast it - usually repeatedly - to see how to get there. Teleportation takes you and whatever portable you're touching from one location to another, instantly - she got tired of having to walk or ride everywhere. It has limitations, of course; you have to have been somewhere before you can 'port there, or you will not go anywhere. Summon Person ... well, if you know someone, you can move them to wherever you are."

"So if we get separated on an expedition, you can use Summon Person to get us back together?"

"Yes - unless you prefer I not do it. I dislike using conjuration spells unless I have to."

"No, on the contrary. I can't do my job if we get separated, so please do Summon me if that happens. It would actually be a relief."

"All right, I will." It was a relief to her, as well, Yssha admitted. A mage watching her back was a distinct asset she would hate to lose.

"Good." Marcurio grinned at her. "Your Pathfinder spell is pretty common here, though, with a different name. So if you find a Clairvoyance spell book, don't bother reading it; it's the same thing. Sell it instead."

"Thank you for the information; I will remember it. Now - you have fought draugr before, and I have not. From my reading of Skyrim and its customs, the employer may provide the employee improved equipment. Would you wish armor rather than mage robes? And a physical weapon?"

This was a new one, in Marcurio's experience: an employer who actually cared about his welfare? "If you could manage, yes. Heavy armor and something two-handed would be very nice."

"We shall stop at Warmaiden's before we leave, then, and see what Adrianne has that I can afford. I need a decent mace, myself, rather that this abysmal sword."

The tone of disgust in her voice made Marcurio laugh. "It looks like standard Imperial issue for the lower ranks."

"I hope only because they have to have so many," Yssha said acerbically, and fell silent.

They'd covered a few more miles before Marcurio spoke up again. "Just how big is this Bleak Falls Barrow?"

"Hmm?" Yssha roused from her musings, grateful for the interruption. "I have only seen it from a distance, but it appeared quite large. Why?"

"Because I have a business other than mercenary, with branches in every hold. First time is free, as a loss leader - the repeat business is what I make money on. The adventuring is fun, but not steady enough to pay the bills most of the time. So I started Marcurio's Porter Service for adventurers."

Yssha stared at him for a moment, wishing she could laugh, and said so. "What a wonderful idea! Greats-Grandmother would have loved it; she did much complaining about having to make repeated trips to dungeons to retrieve what she could not carry out on the first trip."

Marcurio chuckled. "So did a lot of my employers, and since I hate being used as a pack mule, I came up with that. It's not expensive, unless the adventurer doesn't clear out all the hostiles and the porters need combat pay, so I don't usually have to charge more than time and the cost of a pack train or carts."

Yssha purred in appreciation and delight. "From what little I could see, the barrow is large enough to justify that. So please do contact your people while I talk with Adrianne."

"I'll do that."

The rest of the journey passed in companionable silence.


	3. Bleak Falls Barrow

.

Chapter 3 - Bleak Falls Barrow

When they started out the next morning, Yssha was wearing the leather cuirass the Jarl had given her. It was good quality, and she'd determined the enchantment was one that improved her health, which was sure to be useful. She also had a new steel mace, and Marcurio was in steel armor with a battleaxe strapped to his back.

She inhaled deeply as they left the city. It was cool, not really cold yet, and a beautiful sunny day - a good omen for the real start of her adventuring year. The air smelled fresh and clean, pleasant after the scents of the city, and she purred in satisfaction.

"Happy?" Marcurio asked, sounding amused.

"Yes, I am. I am alive, which I am still surprised about. And I owe my life to a dragon, of all things. If it hadn't attacked Helgen, I would be a head shorter right now."

"Which would be a definite loss," he said.

"It certainly would, for me in particular." Yssha gave her version of a chuckle, then cast Pathfinder, and they began their trek to the barrow.

They spent the trip getting better acquainted, learning each other's combat strengths and weaknesses, discussing tactics against the draugr and how to avoid getting in each other's way. By the time they arrived, a couple of hours later, Yssha was confident that they would work well together, with him doing most of the magery and her most of the melee work. He had objected to that at first, but finally agreed that her training, conditioning, and Khajiit strength made it the sensible way to work.

They got a chance to test that even before getting into the barrow, which they found out when an arrow whished by. "Bandits," Marcurio snapped, preparing to spellcast. Yssha left him to it, as agreed, and ran up the steps, preparing her mace and a flame spell for action - why she preferred one-handed weapons.

The two melee fighters came at her, both wielding swords. The flame spell torched their fur armor, which gave her a chance to move in close enough to use her mace while they were screaming and trying to put the fire out with snow. By the time Marcurio got to her, the archer taken care of, she was busily checking the bodies for gold and things she could sell.

"Just take gold, gems, and other small stuff," Marcurio advised her. "The porters will take the big and heavy things later, and deliver them wherever you want." He paused, chuckling as she stood, and handed her a small coin purse. "The archer had this."

Yssha rose, reminding herself that he was right; she didn't have to burden herself, at least on this expedition. "You found that; you ought to keep it."

He shook his head. "Nope, that's part of the service. My fee is fairly high, because as far as I know I'm the only combat-mage mercenary; your pay is only the loot we find. Even with your stipend, you can't be rich, since that's only about double the cost of a modest house, from what I heard."

"You heard correctly," Yssha said, accepting the purse. She hadn't thought a mercenary, rather than a family member, would share the loot, much less give it all to her. He was right, though. Until she was established and making a reasonable amount of income, she couldn't afford not to take it. "Thank you. Do you need healing?"

He shook his head. "He only fired two more arrows, and missed both times. By then he had other things to worry about, like dying. And I'm almost as good at Restoration as I am at Destruction."

Yssha purred, amused at herself for momentarily forgetting that. "I assume it will be more difficult once we get inside. I was strongly advised not to go in this place alone."

Marcurio laughed. "Draugr are slow and clumsy. Hardly a challenge for a man like me ... or, I daresay, a woman like you. Whoever said that must not have seen you fight."

"He had, actually; it was Hadvar. I told you about him on the way out."

"Then he must not have fought draugr himself. Or only fought the more powerful ones, but what we're likely to find aren't much. I've faced them a number of times, and only run into a couple of their Overlords. I wouldn't worry about it."

That sounded overly optimistic to her, but he was the expert on Skyrim dangers; she'd only read about them. "All right. Shall we go in, then?"

"After you," he said with a grin.

Yssha returned it with her own version before finishing the stair climb and opening the door. Inside, she heard a murmur of voices and immediately went into stealth mode, approaching the voices carefully as she avoided the corpses of several large-rat-like creatures. Skeevers, from the pictures she'd seen, but larger than she had expected.

The voices came from two more bandits, who were discussing a third who'd run ahead with a golden claw, undoubtedly the one Lucan had sent her after. She'd learned early in her training that leaving live enemies behind was a very bad idea, so she gestured to Marcurio, and seconds later the bandits were dead. Scouting around, she found a chest with some gold, a gem, a shield, and a couple of daggers. The shield and daggers weren't enchanted, so she left them for the porters. When she rejoined Marcurio, he handed her two more small coin purses, and they went deeper into the barrow.

Yssha hesitated before entering the next chamber they came to, going into stealth mode. There was a bandit there, using a lever, but as soon as he moved it, he was killed by a hail of darts. She straightened, turning to Marcurio. "A trap, obviously, but not one I'm familiar with. Are you?"

He nodded, gesturing to a trio of pillars to their left. "A Nordic puzzle. They're all over the place, and for some reason no one has been able to figure out, the solution is always somewhere close by. I think it's stupid, but the ancient Nords must've had a reason. Let's look around for things that match the symbols on the pillars - they move, so this kind means you have to match them."

Yssha did so, and eventually found two symbols on the balcony above. "Are these what we're looking for?"

"Yes, but one's missing - maybe the broken one down here. Let's give it a try."

"Right." Yssha went back down, looking at the pillars. "I'm fairly strong, for a woman, but I hope those aren't as heavy as they look."

Weight for weight, Khajiit were stronger than humans, but Marcurio did outweigh her, so all he said was, "Give it a try. If you can't move them, maybe I can."

To Yssha's surprise, the pillars moved easily, and she set them into the snake-snake-whale the clues indicated. She wished she'd learned the Telekinesis spell, but others were more generally useful, so she had yet to study that one ...

She pulled the lever by hand instead, praying she wouldn't get killed by another blizzard of darts, but it went well, and the bars to their passage rose.

They continued on, fighting a few more enemies, and eventually came to a room holding an unusually large frostbite spider. It was wounded, and someone entangled in webs was yelling at her to kill it and cut him down. The first part, at least, was in her and Marcurio's interest as well, so they did so before turning their interest to the webbed-in man. She couldn't remember the man's name, but did remember he'd been called 'the swift'. He had the Claw, and he was a bandit, outside the law ...

He was still pleading to be cut down, so she obliged. But she didn't give him time to run; she cut him down both ways, then searched the body for the Golden Claw and any other loot he might have.

Marcurio caught his breath at that, and she turned to him. "Have I offended you? If so, I regret it, and will release you when we return to Whiterun."

Marcurio whooped with laughter. "_Offended_ me? By killing a bandit? Lovely little Khajiit, I admire you. One of our objectives here is already achieved, you know."

"Then we may continue to travel together?"

"Of course." Marcurio hesitated, wondering about his feelings toward this new employer. Not his species, of course, but so beautiful - and more importantly, competent both magically and in physical combat. He was afraid he was - he suppressed that thought before it could fully form. "Let's go."

"Certainly." Yssha led the way, and they fought most of it, against draugr and restless draugr, collecting the smaller loot they found from bodies and chests until they came to what looked like a circular door with symbols on three rings, and a center that looked like it would hold the claw they'd recovered earlier. "Another puzzle?" she asked her companion.

Marcurio nodded. "The kind you need a dragon claw for. If that gold one is its key, we're - excuse the term - golden. If it's for a different door, this expedition is over."

"Well, the bandits seemed to think it was," Yssha pointed out. "How do I use it?"

"Look at its, uh, palm. Then match the symbols on the door to the ones on the claw, and stick the claw part in the middle and turn it. If it's the right one, the door will open by sliding down."

Yssha followed his instructions, holding her breath until there was a grating noise and the door began sinking. "Good!"

"Don't get cocky," Marcurio cautioned. "What's behind this kind of door is almost always important, and it's never easy to get."

"I see what you mean," Yssha said when they came to a passageway shortly thereafter, and blades began swinging across their path. "I don't suppose there's any way to stop those?"

"Not on this end," Marcurio said grimly. "One of us will have to run through and find the lever or pull-chain at the other end. Hold on, let me get that draugr first." His lightning bolts took care of the one he'd seen at the far end of the passage while Yssha studied the swinging blades and their pattern.

"I've done this before, but not with real blades," she said nervously, trying to match the blades' timing with beats of her hand.

"Want me to do it?" Marcurio asked. "I'm wearing steel, not leather."

"Speed is more important than armor with these," she replied absently, "and I'm faster than you are. I'm also smaller, so there's less of me to hit. This one is mine."

"As you say." She was right, Marcurio knew, even though he didn't like it. One misstep and she'd be badly hurt, maybe dead.

After about a minute, Yssha was confident of the blades' pattern and rhythm. As the first hit the right place in its swing, she burst into a sprint. Adrenalin gave her a boost as well, and she reached the end of the passage unharmed, skidding to a halt to look for the off switch. There was a pull chain beside the passage, so she gave it a solid tug, and the blades slowed to a stop.

"Chaos - get back here!" Marcurio called urgently. She obeyed, sprinting back before turning to see what had alarmed him. Half a dozen draugr were boiling toward them, but even with the blades stilled, the passage gave them an advantage; the draugr were forced to approach singly, which made them easy to kill.

Once that was done, they continued undisturbed until they came to a brightly lit cavern where birds exploded past them. She hesitated briefly before leading them cautiously across a stairway and bridge over a small creek,to a platform holding a crypt and a curved wall with what might have been either writing or random marks.

She pointed at the latter. "What's that?"

Marcurio shrugged. "A word wall. Another mystery that's all over the place. They supposedly hold draconic words of power, whatever those were."

"It's ... making a sound. Some sort of a chant. I ... I think I need to check it out."

Marcurio didn't hear anything, so he moved to stop her. Before he could, though, part of the wall glowed bright blue and ... moved into her, and she froze.

At the same time, the crypt exploded, and Marcurio had his hands full with what he instantly recognized, to his dismay, as a draugr overlord. Ah, no, not by himself! he thought.

But then Yssha was with him again, and between the two of them, the overlord was defeated, though not without injuries to its opponents. Its final blow knocked Yssha back, and she fell.

She saw Marcurio finish the thing off, so she rested, panting, for a few seconds before struggling to her knees. "Mar ... Marcurio? Are you all right?"

"Pretty much," Marcurio said, trying to sound light-hearted.

"Good. Then can you haul me to my feet?"

"Of course." He did so.

"Thank you." She glared at the wall. "What in Oblivion was THAT?"

"It's a dragon word wall, as I said. They've never been known to _do_ anything, though. Until this one knocked you -"

"for a loop," she finished. "And I don't appreciate it one bit," That wasn't what she'd been asking about, but she didn't correct him.

"Did it hurt you when that light did ... whatever it did?"

"Hurt? No, not at all. But it ... put a word in my mind. Fus, whatever that means. Do you know?" It hadn't hurt, but it had seemed to push its way in. Not even really unpleasant, she decided, but definitely strange.

"No, I've never heard it before. But let's do some healing, then see if we can find this dragonstone of yours, all right?"

"Of course," Yssha agreed, calling on her Healing spell as Marcurio did the same. When they were done, she went over to the twice-dead corpse. "This one was as tough as Hadvar made me think they all were."

"that was one of their overlords, and it was using a thu'um - a Shout. That's how it was pushing us around." Marcurio began searching the thing, and held up a piece of carved stone about the length of his forearm. "I think this is what we came for."

"I think so, too." Yssha stowed it in her pack, then started going through a nearby chest while Marcurio checked the rest of the cavern before returning to her side.

He grinned at her. "Not a bad dungeon run. Nothing big, until we got to this room, but I think you'll get at least a couple of thousand out of it, once the porters get the big stuff hauled out and you sell anything you won't need."

"Anything we won't need," Yssha corrected him, "if you are interested in continuing to travel with me."

"The contract said until you dismiss me," Marcurio reminded her. Most of his jobs were one-shots, true, but they worked well together, and she'd given him the best armor she could afford, and a weapon. So she'd actually provided more than his fee ... and he admitted she had earned more respect and liking than his employers usually did. He'd stick with her for a while, at least until he felt he'd done as much as he could afford without a new fee. Not that that was likely any time soon; his porter business was quite profitable, and living at the Bee and Barb kept his expenses minimal.

"I had let that slip my mind," Yssha said. Not really, but she really didn't want to keep him if he chose to leave, much as she would hate to lose him. "I am glad. We work well together, and you have already taught me much about Skyrim." Besides that, she liked him.

She sighed. "I suppose we should start back. I could teleport us, but to be honest, I need to walk some adrenaline off. Combat leaves me high-strung for several hours, and I would really rather get some sleep and food as well before returning to Whiterun."

He nodded. "There's a village pretty close to the path we came up; they might have an inn. Let's go."

It puzzled her when he went off in the opposite direction to where they'd come in. "Where are you going?"

"There's usually a back door or shortcut out of these things, for some reason, and I spotted one when we were treasure-hunting. Up the stairs behind the Word Wall, there's a lever that probably leads to a tunnel."

"Ah! That is useful to know." She followed him up and out of the tunnel, then they set off for Riverwood. She would return the Golden Claw to Lucan Valerius, then get some supper and sleep at the Sleeping Giant Inn she'd passed on her way to Whiterun - was it only two days ago? It felt much longer than that.


	4. Dragon Rising

They were on the road to Whiterun, out of sight of Riverwood (with five hundred septims from Lucan for the Claw's return), when Yssha turned to Marcurio. "Would you prefer to walk, or should I teleport us?"

"I'm curious about the teleporting," Marcurio admitted. "I'm not sure about just appearing out of thin air in the middle of town, though."

"I wasn't planning on that," Yssha said. "Greats-Grandmother would have my head if I went around frightening people for no reason. Those of us who can teleport usually do it to someplace nearby that's not likely to have anyone around, then walk the rest of the way. I made note of a good spot during my first trip."

"I should have realized you'd think of that," Marcurio said with a chuckle.

"Then give me your hand, and don't worry if you feel a bit nauseated when we 'land'. Some people do, the first time."

She took his hand, then cast the spell. In literally no time, they were in a sheltered spot perhaps a hundred yards from the stables. "We are here. Are you all right?"

"Fine," Marcurio replied. "No nausea at all." He looked around, and grinned at her. "Impressive, and that's not something I usually admit."

"It is, isn't it?" His reaction pleased her more than she would admit, at least to him. "Unfortunately, I suppose we had best return to Farengar and make sure we got the correct item."

"First I need to contact Belethor - he runs the general store, as well as being the local rep of my service, so that's easy. I don't like the man, but he's competent and honest enough if you keep an eye on him. Where do you want your loot delivered?"

"Good question," Yssha said thoughtfully, considering what she knew of the town's layout. "The Bannered Mare, I suppose. We can stop there on the way to Dragonsreach and I will rent a couple of rooms - or a storage area, if it has those."

Those chores taken care of, they headed for Dragonsreach, with Yssha stopping to pay her respects at the shrine of Talos between the stairs to there and Jorrvaskr.

"That's not safe," Marcurio reminded her gently as they climbed the long steps to the Jarl's palace.

"I know, and I don't care," Yssha said. "It cannot really be that bad, with His priest preaching openly - though I think his theology dubious - but when I see a shrine, I will at least pray briefly, and ask His blessing. The Concordat has zero chance of affecting my beliefs, and if the Thalmor try ... well, I'll just have to take my chances. And so will they."

"Whoof! You aren't very careful about picking your enemies, are you, beautiful one?"

The tips of Yssha's ears burned in her version of a blush. "Uh, I've been a devotee of Talos, as well as Akatosh, ever since I can remember. It's just part of me. And ... I'm rather average-looking, if anything."

Marcurio smiled to himself. "I believe you're too hard on yourself, but if you wish, I shall refrain."

"No, feel free." Yssha purred briefly. "Such flattery is nice to hear, even if I do not believe it."

Marcurio laughed openly at that, which got them an odd look from a guard as they reached the walkway to the Dragonsreach doors. Once inside, they went straight to Farengar's lab, where they found him talking with a familiar-sounding woman.

"You see?" Farengar was saying. "The terminology is clearly First Era or even earlier. I'm convinced this is a copy of a much older text. Perhaps dating to just after the Dragon War. If so, I could use this to cross-reference the names with other later texts."

The woman replied, "Good. I'm glad you're making progress. My employers are anxious to have some tangible answers."

Yssha recognized her as Delphine, the innkeeper from Riverwood, but now in leather armor. And was that - she studied Delphine's weapon as closely as she could from where she stood. Yes, right. That was an Akaviri katana, just like Greats-Grandmother's from when she'd joined the Blades. Had a Blade somehow survived the Thalmor purge, or had Delphine gotten it elsewhere, somehow?

Farengar's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Oh, have no fear. The Jarl himself has finally taken an interest, so I'm now able to devote most of my time to this research."

"Time is running, Farengar, don't forget. This isn't some theoretical question. Dragons have come back."

"Yes, yes. Don't worry. Although the chance to see a living dragon up close would be tremendously valuable... Now, let me show you something else I found... very intriguing... I think your employers may be interested as well..."

Delphine noticed Yssha and her companion. "You have visitors."

Farengar turned. "Hmm? Ah, yes, the Jarl's protege! Back from Bleak Falls Barrow? You didn't die, it seems." He relieved Yssha of the Dragonstone.

Then he turned back to Delphine. "So your information was correct after all. And we have our friend here to thank for recovering it for us."

Delphine nodded to Yssha. "You went into Bleak Falls Barrow and got that? Nice work. "

Then she turned back to Farengar. "Just send me a copy when you've deciphered it."

He agreed, and was promising Yssha a reward when Irileth ran in and summoned Farengar to see the Jarl because of a dragon sighting. In what seemed like an afterthought, she included Yssha and Marcurio, so it was all three who followed her upstairs to the map room, where the Jarl was talking to a young city guard.

"So, Irileth tells me you came from the western watchtower?"

"Tell him what you told me. About the dragon."

"Uh... that's right. We saw it coming from the south. It was fast... faster than anything I've ever seen."

"What did it do?" Balgruuf asked. "Is it attacking the watchtower?"

"No, my lord. It was just circling overhead when I left. I never ran so fast in my life... I thought it would come after me for sure."

"Good work, son. We'll take it from here. Head down to the barracks for some food and rest. You've earned it. Irileth, you'd better gather some guardsmen and get down there."

"I've already ordered my men to muster near the main gate."

"Good. Don't fail me."

Then Balgruuf turned to Yssha. "There's no time to stand on ceremony, my friend. I need your help again. I want you to go with Irileth and help her fight this dragon. You survived Helgen, so you have more experience with dragons then anyone else here. But I haven't forgotten the service you did for me in retrieving the Dragonstone for Farengar. As a token of my esteem, I have instructed Avenicci that you are now permitted to purchase property in the city. And please accept this gift from my personal armory."

Yssha accepted the axe he handed her, sensing immediately that it was enchanted, but not how.

Farengar wanted to go as well, but the Jarl refused, unwilling to risk him as well as Irileth, and told his housecarl not to grandstand, since what he needed was information.

Yssha snickered inwardly, the only way she could, at the reply. "Don't worry, my lord. I'm the very soul of caution." But she and Marcurio followed Irileth down to the city gates, where the housecarl made a brief speech to the gathered guards, then the group trotted toward a not-too-distant tower.

"What is it with all these gifts?" Yssha asked Marcurio. "That's not a Cyrodiil thing."

"The armor and weapon mean he wants you on his side. Permission to buy a house means he wants you convenient for when he needs you. It's not quite to the level of giving you a house, but it's still significant. Are you going to take him up on it?"

"If the price of it and a decent bed aren't too high, probably." She cat-grinned at him. "I can do without just about any other furnishings, but I do want at least an inn-quality bed."

Marcurio laughed. "My sentiments as well, which is fortunate since I live in an inn, and besides the bed in my room, just have what I can keep in a small wardrobe and chest. I could probably buy a house, financially, but I have no desire to live in Riften forever, and it's hard to buy property even there, let alone anywhere else, if you don't have an in with the Jarl. For a mercenary, that's not likely to happen."

Probably true, Yssha conceded, but they were almost at the tower now, so she didn't pursue the subject. The dragon had obviously attacked, since several plumes of smoke were rising, and there was rubble scattered around the damaged tower. Irileth sent her men to search for survivors. Shortly afterward, Yssha saw a single guard staggering out of the watchtower, then a roar and calls that the dragon was back.

Arrows started flying, and so did magic as Marcurio spotted it flying in from the south. He started with fire, then cursed briefly and switched to frost spells. "Don't use fire, it's resistant!" he called.

Yssha cursed as well. The only thing she knew was fire-based! Then a memory flashed. She'd found and read a Sparks spell book in Helgen, but never used the spell. Well, at least it wasn't fire, so maybe. She readied that in her left hand, her mace in her right, and began casting.

It took some time - probably not the hours it felt like - before spells and arrows grounded the dragon and she ran in with her mace, accompanied by guards with swords. It kept breathing fire, but not as strongly, and shortly before it succumbed, roared what sounded like unfamiliar words - nid, dovahkiin, nid! - then it threw up its head and collapsed.

Moments later, while she was still gasping for breath, it burst into flame, and once again, she felt an alien force _push_ into her. Not uncomfortable, just ... unsettling, since she didn't know what it was.

"Dragonborn ... " one of the guards said. "You're ... dragonborn. Have you tried to Shout?"

"Huh?" Yssha didn't know what he was talking about, but that strange word from the barrow seemed to be squirming inside her, as if waking from a slumber, wanting to ... what? She turned away, not wanting to take chances if anything happened, and softly said - tried to softly say - "Fus." It came out "FUS!", and she flinched.

The guard who had spoken to looked elated, and shouted, "Dragonborn! She's Dragonborn!"

That got some argument, but she didn't pay any attention, too stunned to do anything except watch Marcurio collect loot, including from the dragon. When he was done, she went over to him, trying to hide her shakiness.

Marcurio hesitated, worrying about her reaction, but she was certainly not herself, so he put his arm around her.

Even with both of them in armor, Yssha found that comforting, and moved closer. "Thank you," she murmured. "I'm ... I don't know what happened, but it ... scares me."

Scared someone who'd gone through a huge barrow, then faced a draugr Overlord without flinching? Marcurio held her close, not caring what others might think about him holding a beast-woman. Nord racism was silly, at best. "The great Marcurio is here," he said haughtily, trying to lighten her mood. "You need fear nothing!"

Yssha made a choking sound, the closest she could get to a surprised giggle, and relaxed slightly. "You are outrageous, you know. But thank you, I needed that."

"Can you walk? It looks like we're heading back for Whiterun."

"Yes. I am not hurt, just ... I suppose confused is as good a word as any." She paused, trying to understand what had happened. "When the dragon died, I felt like something from it entered me, and I understood the word from that wall. 'Fus' is 'force', and ... I can Shout it."

"Yes, I saw the storm-track it left through the grass." It had been ... impressive, he decided, wasn't quite strong enough. Awesome might be adequate. "Is it like a spell?"

Yssha considered that, and shook her head. "Not really. A spell takes effort, and you feel the drain on magica. That was ... effortless. Though there was probably some cost I just don't know how to feel."

Marcurio was formulating a reply when there was a peal of thunder, or a voice, it was hard to tell. Whatever, it shook the ground.

DOVAHKIIN!

Yssha flinched, startled. "What was _that_?"

"I don't know," Marcurio said, but some of the guards had heard her question, and the one who'd first called her Dragonborn spoke.

"If the old stories are to be believed, it's the Greybeards calling you, Dragonborn. But we aren't the ones to ask; you'll need to talk to Jarl Balgruuf and maybe Farengar. That sort of thing's much more in their line than a guardsman's."

"All right, but thank you for giving me a clue." As the guardsman moved away, she muttered, "Now if I just knew what the Greybeards are ... "

"I'm surprised you don't," Marcurio said.

"They weren't in any of the books we had, and I've only been in Skyrim for a few days, so I've never heard of them. What can you tell me?"

"Not that much, really," Marcurio replied. "Just that they're a small order of monks who live up on the Throat of the World, that mountain over there. And they're respected by everyone, even though almost no one's met any of them. It's said they taught Ulfric Stormcloak to use Voice, but I can't swear to that. The guard was right; best let the Jarl tell you about them."

"All right." Yssha needed to think, but she remembered Marcurio looting the dragon's corpse. "Um, what was worth taking off the dragon?"

"Mostly bone and scales," he surprised her by saying. "If you can find enough of them, and a skilled enough smith, they make about the best armor and weapons you can get. Or so the stories say; I've never seen any myself. But more immediately, probably around three hundred gold, an enchanted shield, a couple of daggers, and a bunch of arrows."

"The bones and scales I can understand. If they're that useful, they're worth taking, even if we can't do anything with them right away. But how would a dragon have any of the rest? Well, except the arrows, of course."

Marcurio carefully avoided laughing. She'd been through a lot recently, and he didn't want to make it worse. "My guess would be things it found indigestible."

That made sense, so Yssha nodded. After a long pause, she continued. "Dragonborn. I can't be Dragonborn, I'm not a Septim. Chaos, I'm not even an Imperial! Or human. Emperor Martin was the last Dragonborn."

This time, Marcurio let himself chuckle; she sounded both appalled and indignant about that. "Afraid you'd have to become Empress, are you?"

She gave him a look of pure disgust. "What an awful thought! Even if the Elder Council were crazy enough to select me, I've been to Court a few times. That was bad enough. I'd rather ... oh, move to Black Marsh, than be stuck in the palace forever!"

That sounded more like her, and Marcurio chuckled, relaxing a bit. "So have I, though I think I'd find someplace less swampy to run to, if it were me."

"You have a point. Wet fur is no fun at all." She was grateful for his humor, not to mention the distraction, but they were approaching the city gates, and she was afraid her respite would be over soon.

She was right. The guards split off as soon as they were inside, but she, Marcurio, and Irileth continued on - up all those steps again - to Dragonsreach. When they neared the throne, she heard Balgruuf speaking to a man she'd gathered was his brother. "You heard the summons, Hrongar. What else could it mean? The Greybeards..."

He saw her and broke off, then when she approached, asked, "So what happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?"

"Yes, and it's dead." She hesitated, then continued. "I ... absorbed something from it, then one of the guards called me Dragonborn."

"The Greybeards think so as well, it seems."

Maybe now she could find out something useful. "Who are the Greybeards? Monks of some kind is all I know."

"True, and they are Masters of the Way of the Voice. They live in seclusion high on the slopes of the Throat of the World."

Yes, Marcurio had mentioned that. "But what would they want with me?"

"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the Voice - the ability to focus your vital essence into a Thu'um, or Shout. If you really are Dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift."

"Didn't you hear the thundering sound as you returned to Whiterun?" Hrongar asked. "That was the voice of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar! This hasn't happened in ... six centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!"

Proventus sighed, as if he'd heard this too many times. "Hrongar, calm yourself. What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here? Capable as she may be, I don't see any signs of her being this, what, 'Dragonborn.'"

Hrongar was indignant. "Nord nonsense? Why, you puffed-up ignorant ... these are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!"

"Hrongar. Don't be so hard on Avenicci."

"I meant no disrespect, of course." Proventus, trying to make peace again, Yssha thought. "It's just that ... what do these Greybeards want with her?"

"That's the Greybeards' business, not ours."

Balgruuf turned back to Yssha. "Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard or felt it. If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue? Although we thought the Dragonborn would be a Nord man like Talos, not a young Khajiit." He paused briefly, then continued, "You'd better get up to High Hrothgar immediately. There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It's a tremendous honor."

He paused again, then nodded to himself and spoke again. "You've done a great service for me and my city, Dragonborn. By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It's the greatest honor that's within my power to grant. I assign you Lydia as a personal housecarl, and this weapon, the Axe of Whiterun, to serve as your badge of office." He handed her an enchanted axe. "I'll also notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we? We are honored to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborn."

Thane, Yssha knew from her reading, was a title of nobility, and nothing to turn down, so she bowed acceptance. "I shall go to them tomorrow morning then, my Jarl. And I would like to accept your previous offer, if I can afford it. May I have your leave to speak to Proventus?"

"Certainly." The Jarl gave a slight smile. "I fear it is quite a modest house, but the only one currently available."

Yssha did her best to imitate a human smile. "Even a modest house is better than an inn room, my Jarl. I thank you for the opportunity."

She heard a deep chuckle behind her as she turned to Proventus. "How much is it, then?"

"Unless you have been more profligate than I would expect from one of your Family, well within your means. Five thousand septims."

Yes, she had more than enough left, even after hiring and equipping Marcurio. "I will take it. Who do I see to purchase a decent bed?"

"I am also responsible for providing any furnishings you wish to buy. The master bedroom is another three hundred."

She glanced at Marcurio, who nodded that it was a fair price here. "All right, add that, please."

"That part will take a day or two," Proventus said. "But Breezehome is yours immediately. Here is the key." He handed it to her, and added a slight smile. "It does have a bed, but not much more at the moment than a few furs on raised boards. You might want to stay at the Bannered Mare until I can get that improved."

Yssha cat-smiled. He seemed to be in a helpful mood, so she said, "I shall. Do you know how I can get to the Greybeards?"

"Certainly. Go to Ivarstead - the easiest route is from Riften, unfortunately. Then up the Seven Thousand Steps." He gave a tiny smile. "It is a difficult and usually cold journey. You might want to buy some furs, as I understand Khajiit do not handle cold well at all."

"Thank you, I shall." Yssha sighed. Maybe she should have gone elsewhere, as her family had urged. What he said was quite true; Khajiit did not handle cold well, though it hadn't been too bad so far.

But Riften again. Certainly she had to return there, go to the Thieves' Guild and meet their leader. She wasn't looking forward to that, but Greats-Grandmother's advice said she should, so she would, despite the part of Riften she'd seen being little better than a slum.

She sighed, leaving Dragonsreach for the lower levels of Whiterun. Asking around once she reached the marketplace, she was directed to Breezehome - not without a few snide remarks about it - and went in.

As promised, it wasn't much. Small, dirty - abandoned for some time, she thought, But there was the sketchy bed up in the loft, a room for Lydia in better shape than the rest of the place - she wondered at that - and plenty of floor space for anything she couldn't carry. It would do nicely for a base.

But for tonight, the Bannered Mare. She and Marcurio left the house and headed uphill, being greeted by various people in a more friendly manner than when she'd first entered the city, or even on the trip to Breezehome. Apparently the word was spreading, because a few even addressed her as Dragonborn.

The third time that happened, Marcurio laughed. "You know," he said with amusement, "Jarl Ulfric is going to be seriously upset once he learns who the Dragonborn is."

Yssha turned to him, but kept walking. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Nords are convinced they're better than anyone else," Marcurio told her. "Other humans are acceptable, but they aren't fond of mer, and Khajiit or Argonians are lucky to be allowed behind the walls of a city. Especially Windhelm, his capital. To find out the Dragonborn is a Khajiit will, to put it mildly, not please him."

"Considering that Hadvar and I agreed it was his Stormcloaks who robbed me and left me in rags, I find that more satisfying than distressing," Yssha said. "I suppose I should be grateful they put me in the rags rather than leaving me in my smallclothes."

"Probably so," Marcurio agreed. "You were lucky to come to Jarl Balgruuf. He's much more comfortable with non-humans or mer than most, but even he usually keeps them out of the city. Probably the only reason you got in was because of the news from Riverwood."

"Ah." Yssha digested that briefly. "But he made me his Thane."

Marcurio laughed. "Of course he did! You went into a major barrow for him, with only one ally, and then turn out to be the Dragonborn - how could he not?" He studied the little Khajiit next to him. "He is probably the most politically adept of the Jarls, and having the Dragonborn as his Thane will add to his prestige. Now that he's done it, don't be too surprised if others give you the opportunity as well."

Yssha grimaced, but didn't respond. She knew all too well, thanks to her family's connections, how politics worked in Cyrodiil. She had come to Skyrim partially in the hope of avoiding them, but had obviously not succeeded, since the political scheming seemed very similar.

They entered the Bannered Mare to a raucous rendition, by everyone inside, of "The Dragonborn Comes". She groaned at that and promptly headed upstairs to her room. She groaned again when she found it full of armor, weapons, and assorted miscellany, but she had to admit she was impressed with the porter service Marcurio provided, and said so before beginning to haul stuff off the bed.

"I've had plenty of time to find good people," he said "And I keep my fees low, about ten percent of the average dungeon find. Plus, for adventurers who do a lot of dungeon-diving, I have special per-month or per-year fees that are less, about five percent. Since most can't bring out even close to that by themselves, both of us come out ahead." He cocked his head. "Not that I warn all of them about hauling out the small stuff themselves, and since most adventurers aren't used to much thinking, we generally get a better percentage than that."

Yssha gave her version of a chuckle. "Is that not a bit dishonest? After all, you did warn me."

Marcurio shrugged. "I'm a mercenary. If they aren't bright enough to think about taking gems and gold, that's their problem." He grinned at her. "You'd have done it, though, wouldn't you? Even without my warning."

"Certainly. It only makes sense. Why leave small valuables that might not be reported?"

"Exactly! But you'd be surprised how often that happens." Marcurio sighed. "Most adventurers are in it for the excitement, not the money. Otherwise, I would guess they would be bandits; the intellectual level is about the same."

He smiled at her. "I'm going down to get some food and rent a room. Want to come along?"

"And listen to that horrible singing again? No, thanks. But if you would bring me back a venison chop or two, I would appreciate it."

"Done, pretty one." He left, returning shortly with the requested food. "I'm going to bed after I finish my own supper," he said. "Meet you at the stables in the morning?"

"Yes, please." Yssha watched him leave, ate her venison chops, and fell into bed.


	5. Joining the Guild

.

Chapter 5 - Joining the Guild

The next morning, after a brief shopping trip for warm clothing, she and Marcurio boarded a carriage for Riften. She hadn't done enough exploring on her first trip to find an isolated spot to teleport to, and she wanted to talk to Marcurio anyway, away from prying ears. The carriage driver wasn't one of those; they took pride in not revealing anything their passengers might discuss.

"It will be too late to start for Ivarstead by the time we reach Riften," Yssha said, remembering her first trip. "So I suppose we should stay at the inn overnight. And I have to find the Ragged Flagon down in the Ratway. Would you have any idea where it is?"

Marcurio chuckled and nodded. "As a mercenary, I have to be easy to find, so I spend most of my free time where you found me. On the other hand, I get bored very easily, so sometimes I'll ask Keerava, the bartender, to stall any potential clients while I get some exercise. I've been down in the Ratway several times, and to the Flagon door a few of them."

Not inside?" Yssha asked curiously.

He shook his head. "That's one tavern you don't go into without an invitation, or without someone who's been invited. It's the headquarters of the Thieves Guild, and they're not too fond of curiosity-seekers. I gather you do have an invitation?"

"Yes, from the man who recommended you to me. A big red-headed Nord named Brynjolf."

"The Guild-Second, hmm?" Marcurio grinned. "You don't start small, pretty cat, do you? Not surprising, I suppose, considering your ancestress."

Yssha would normally have been offended at being called "cat", but from him, it sounded affectionate, not insulting. "Well, he approached me, and when I identified myself, told me initiation tests were waived because the Skyrim branch of the Guild owed Greats-Grandmother several favors. I am supposed to go to the Ragged Flagon to meet the Guild-Master and be inducted into the Guild." She was suddenly apprehensive about his reaction, more so than she would have expected.

"They're in pretty bad shape, with Brynjolf hawking fake cures in the market most days," was his comment, surprising her yet again. He must have interpreted her expression correctly, because he grinned again. "A lot of them prefer the Bee to the Flagon, and it's easy to eavesdrop on them when they get drunk and talkative. If you can call it eavesdropping when they talk loudly enough for half the tavern to hear."

"You have no objection to working for a thief?"

"Depends on the thief. No objections at all, for a certain beautiful Khajiit."

Yssha purred. "Good. I would dislike it if you decided you had to leave. If it is any help, Greats-Grandmother recommended that I join the Guild, so you could say I am doing so at the behest of the Divine Crusader."

Marcurio whooped with laughter, joined after a second by the carriage driver. When that died down, the carriage driver turned around enough to face them. "Dragonborn's a descendant of the Divine Crusader, eh? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone unless you want me to. But if you're going to be getting yourself into trouble, and you plan to stick together anyway, could a carriage driver who's heard quite a lot over the years make a suggestion?"

"Of course, Bjorlam," Yssha said. "What is it?"

"Get married," he said bluntly. "I've overheard enough to know spouses can't be forced to testify against each other. Doing that would offend Lady Mara, and the Thalmor are the only ones who deliberately offend a Divine. 'Course, it's only the one Divine they offend on purpose, but still ... "

"That would be rather sudden, don't you think?" Actually, Yssha rather liked the idea. Mara had no objections to species intermarriage, and she couldn't deny her increasing fondness for Marcurio.

"In Skyrim?" Bjorlam snorted. "From what I hear, you've fought through a barrow and handled a dragon together. And you obviously get along." He took time to smile at her. "Lady Dragonborn, life here is short and hard. Long courtships are for softer lands. Here, if you find someone who suits you, you don't waste time. There's a Temple of Mara in Riften."

Yssha turned to Marcurio, feeling stunned. "Have I just been hit on the head by a battle-axe?"

Marcurio had been in Skyrim since his disinheritance, so he was far more familiar with their lack of diplomacy. "No, just Skyrim. And he has some good points. My beautiful Khajiit, will you marry me?" He extended both hands toward her.

Yssha hesitated. She liked him, certainly, but she wasn't sure she liked him _that_ well. On the other hand, Bjorlam was right, and she couldn't be certain they'd even survive the trip up the Seven Thousand Steps. It would be terrible to lose him now, and it was said Mara allowed a soul-link even after death for those whose marriage She had blessed.

She took his hands. "Yes, my handsome Imperial. I would be pleased to marry you." Liking was enough for now. especially since she was certain it would grow into love.

He leaned forward and kissed her nose; she returned the gesture with a lick to his.

"Good." Bjorlam turned back to his horse, his mission accomplished.

When they met in the common-room of the Bee and Barb the next morning and had had their breakfast served, Yssha asked, "Do you have a preference which to do first?"

"Get married," Marcurio replied promptly "Unless you prefer otherwise?"

"No, I agree. You do know where Her Temple is, of course."

"Of course. It's just past Mistview Keep, the Jarl's palace."

Which, Yssha discovered, was past the blacksmith shop and over a small bridge to another wooden walkway, then to the left and into a gateway flanked by flags. And up a flight of steps.

She sighed to herself. Steps and more steps, everywhere! With seven thousand to go just to get to where the Greybeards were.

A priest, who introduced himself as Maramar, met them shortly after they entered the Temple. "What is it, my children?" he asked.

Yssha bowed respectfully. "We wish to be married, Holy Brother."

His face came alight. "Ah, how wonderful! The Lady Mara is pleased, I am sure. But of course there are formalities to be observed. Both of you have Her amulets?"

Marcurio nodded, but Yssha had to shake her head. "Unfortunately, mine was stolen. Do you have one I may purchase?"

"Certainly. It is two hundred -" He paused, seeming to listen. "Ah, yes." He reached into his robes and handed her an amulet. "There is a waiting period to give both of you a time to meditate and be sure you truly wish to take such a serious and irreversible step. Consider your decision for the rest of today, and if you still wish marriage tomorrow, return here and I will be more than happy to perform the ceremony."

"Thank you, Holy Brother. We will see you in the morning." Yssha turned to Marcurio with a curious look, but he shook his head, so she led the way out of the Temple. "Why wouldn't he take my money?" she asked, once they were down on the wooden walkway.

"Did you see the look on his face? I'd guess Mara told him not to." Marcurio's expression was serious. "My beautiful one, I fear that as Dragonborn, the Nine take more of an interest in you than they do in most. I just pray that the same is not true of the Daedra."

Yssha shuddered. "The first is not good, but from Greats-Grandmother's stories, the Daedra are far worse. I join you in those prayers."

They had a day to kill, so she went on. "Shall we take care of my commitment to the Guild? Or is there something else you would prefer?"

He gave her a strange look, but said, "The Guild. Come on, then. The Ratway isn't far." He led her left, back past Mistveil Keep, then right and down some steps in front of Honorhall Orphanage.

"An orphanage? here?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I've met the owner, and I feel sorry for the kids there. She's called Grelod the Kind, but from what the kids say when they get out for a bit, Grelod the Cruel would be more accurate. I would tend to agree with the kids. She's a greedy one, out more for the orphan stipend than their welfare."

Yssha made a note to check into that when she had more time, but Marcurio was moving on, to an unlabeled entrance on the right. "This is it," he said. "Be ready to draw. The Ratway is a refuge for those who can't find lodging even as poor as Haelga's Bunkhouse, so they're pretty nasty. Not anywhere as tough as they pretend to be, but nasty."

Yssha's nose wrinkled at the Ratway stench, but she made sure her mace was ready to draw, then said, "Lead on."

They had almost gotten to the end of the first tunnel when Marcurio prepared a spell, grumbling, "Not those two again. Won't they ever learn?"

Yssha wondered what he was talking about, but readied her mace. An arrow flew past her head, bouncing off the wall, and Marcurio snarled, "That's it," and let fly a couple of lightning bolts. By the time he cleared the tunnel and she could see what was going on. one of the assailants was dead, the other screaming as his fur armor burned. He was the bowman, but no longer interested in shooting, so she took him down with a single blow.

As they were looting the bodies, she asked, "Who were they?"

"Bandits who thought they were a lot better than they really were," Marcurio replied. "Drahff and Hewnon Black-Skeever. Always plotting something, and usually trying to extort gold from anyone coming into the Ratway. I've run into them a few times, but this was the first time they actually attacked me." He looked around. "I don't see anyone else, but stay alert."

"I shall," she assured him. "Where now?"

"Around that corner. There's a drawbridge ahead that can be a pain if it's up, the way the Guild wants, but most of the time someone or other has it down because it's more convenient. I've only had to go around once."

When they got to it, the drawbridge was indeed down. They crossed it, Marcurio in the lead, and entered a small room with a cluttered table. Yssha started to move toward a sunlit area, but Marcurio said, "No, over there," and pointed to a door to her left. "That way takes you deeper into the Ratway - the way we'd have had to go if the drawbridge was up. The Guild is through that door. You're the one invited, so you get to lead the way."

"All right." Yssha opened the door, to see what looked like a circular cavern ... no, it was constructed, around what looked like a water storage area with a pathway around it. Or part of it; the path ended not far to her left, and she could hear a murmur of voices to her right, so she went that way. The Ragged Flagon, when she got there, left her unimpressed, but Marcurio had said they were having a hard time, so she wasn't too surprised.

Someone was speaking. "Give it up, Brynjolf ... those days are over."

"I told you, this one is different. One of Guildmaster Ysshaya's great-grandkids. She has to be a natural; you know Mercer waived the tests for any of them who might show up."

""Yeah, yeah. Well, she still has to get here, doesn't she? It's time to face the truth, old friend. You, Vex, Mercer ... you're all part of a dying breed. Things are changing!

That was when Brynjolf spotted her and gestured in her direction. "Dying breed, eh? Well, what do you call that, then?"

He approached Yssha and Marcurio. "Well, well ... color me impressed, lass. I wasn't certain I'd ever see you again, but with him at your back, I suppose the Ratway was less of a challenge than most would find it."

Marcurio laughed. "Aside from having to kill Drahff and Hewnon, not a challenge at all. Someone left the drawbridge down again. But she could've made it on her own easily enough, even the long way. The job she hired me for originally involved clearing out Bleak Falls Barrow - bandits, draugr, and at the end, a draugr Overlord. Then we had to help kill a dragon."

"An Overlord and a dragon?" Brynjolf said, one eyebrow raised. "You're turning out to be quite the prize, aren't you? Mercer was right. I'd say you've done more than simply prove yourself. We need people like you in our outfit. Come on, I'll show you around."

He led the two out of the Flagon through a storeroom, and into another large, mostly-circular chamber. "This is the Cistern, where most of us live. Mercer's over there." He led the way to a leather-armored Breton. "Mercer? This is the one I was talking about - Guildmaster Ysshaya's greats-granddaughter."

Mercer turned to her. "Before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussions ... you do what we say, when we say. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly clear," Yssha replied. What they said, yes, but when would depend on her other obligations, which she carefully didn't say.

"Good. Then I think it's time we put your expertise to the test."

Brynjolf broke in. "Wait a moment. You're not talking about Goldenglow, are you? Even our little Vex couldn't get in."

"I admitted her without testing because of her ancestry, but she must still prove she possesses an aptitude for our line of work."

Mercer turned back to Yssha. "Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest clients. However, the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson. Brynjolf will provide you with the details."

"Mercer, aren't you forgetting something?" Brynjolf asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. You're in. Welcome to the Thieves Guild."

"Back to the Flagon for a bit," Brynjolf said. "You get a set of armor from our fence and lookout, Tonilia, then Vex and Delvin will explain about the jobs they offer. We're trying to get back on our feet; we've lost a lot of influence since our luck turned sour, as you can tell from the shape we're in. So do those jobs when we don't have anything more pressing for you."

"Of course." Yssha did as she was told, meeting the fence and getting her armor, then accepting assignments from the other two, and having Brynjolf brief her on the Goldenglow job, but her mind was more on her upcoming marriage than her career with the Thieves' Guild. She'd get a refresher and talk to Vex and Delvin more before actually starting the job.

When she finished that, Brynjolf approached her again. "Back to the Cistern, lass. Now that you're official, I can show you a shortcut so you won't have to go through the Ratway again. I've sent someone to raise the drawbridge, so going through there won't - or at least shouldn't - be that easy again."

She followed him again, through the storage room and to the center of the Cistern on one of the raised pathways, where he pointed to her right. "See that ladder? It leads to a fake crypt near the Hall of the Dead. You open the crypt with a pull-chain. The outside has a button you push to get in. Just make sure no one sees you using it."

"Of course," she said again, then she and Marcurio left.

"What now?" he asked.

"The inn, I suppose," she said. "But let's go outside the city first. I didn't see any good teleport points on my first visit, but there are bound to be some around."

"I wouldn't be surprised," he said. "What do you need? Maybe I know a spot."

"Just someplace we won't be seen popping in and out. Something like we used near Whiterun, or an abandoned building, or something. It can be indoors or out, it doesn't matter."

"Hmm." Marcurio thought for several seconds. "There's a tumbledown tower east of the city, not far from the road. It's too decrepit even for bandits or the like to move in, and no reason for anyone from town to go there, so it might work."

"Let's go take a look, then," Yssha suggested.

"Yes, let's," Marcurio said with a smile as they headed for the city gates.

On the way, they encountered a Khajit caravan campsite and spent some time chatting and selling a few items they didn't need before continuing on their way. But the encounter reminded Yssha of something Marcurio had mentioned earlier.

"You said we beast-folk weren't allowed into cities, but I had no trouble with Whiterun, or even here, once I convinced a guard I wasn't going to pay his 'entry fee'. Do you know why?"

Marcurio shrugged. "Whiterun the first time, probably because you had news of the dragon attack. Then you were back from a job for the Jarl, and now you're a Thane there, so no one will give you any trouble. But Riften, I don't know. Of course Jarl Laila Law-Giver is strange about rights, even though her loyalty is to Ulfric Stormcloak."

"Who dislikes everyone but Nords, if I recall correctly."

"You do. He won't let the local Argonians into Windhelm at all, and the Dunmer refugees from Morrowind have to live in a slum called the Gray Quarter. I doubt he'll even believe the Dragonborn isn't a Nord, much less a Khajiit, so you might have problems if you have to go there."

"Then I shall not go there unless I have no choice." Yssha cocked her head. "But will he even know there is a Dragonborn? That Shout was loud enough to shake the ground, but to reach as far as Windhelm?"

"Probably," Marcurio said, surprising her. "The story is that when they summoned Talos, everyone in Skyrim heard it. That was over six centuries ago, though, so I'm not sure how true it is."

"What about the other Dragonborn, the Septim Emperors and their heirs? Nothing in my histories said they were ever summoned."

"I never heard that, either," Marcurio said, surprised. "I wonder ... maybe they had the dragon blood Akatosh gave St. Alessia, but not the soul of one? Because there were no dragons, so it wasn't needed?"

"But there were no dragons in Tiber Septim's time, either, yet he was summoned," Yssha objected.

"A good point," Marcurio replied. "I certainly don't know. Maybe ask the Greybeards?"

"Perhaps I shall," Yssha said as they kept walking.

A few minutes later, Marcurio pointed to a heap of stones perhaps fifty feet to the left of the road. "That's it, over there."

Yssha approached the ruined tower, only to be rushed by a bandit yelling, "You picked a bad place to get lost, cat"! She didn't hesitate, bringing her mace into position to fend off the bandit woman's dagger, then attacking.

Bandits not being trained fighters made it a short battle, even without the use of magic. Yssha wasn't even breathing heavily when she stooped to search the body and heard Marcurio approaching. She rose, looking around the ruins, and saw a weatherbeaten chest. "This may not be a refuge, but it looks like it may be a drop," she commented, taking out a lockpick. This was a beginner's lock, hardly a challenge ... but the chest didn't hold much, either. Some gold, an amethyst, and a steel dagger - well, at least it was better than iron.

She rose and looked toward the road. It was hard to see from where she stood, so she nodded in satisfaction. "This will do nicely," she told Marcurio. "Concealed well enough, and an easy walk to town."

"Let's go back, then. When are you going to want to head for Ivarstead?"

"I have a strong feeling we should waste no time, but I refuse to delay our wedding. After lunch, then?"

Marcurio bent and kissed her nose. "That sounds good to me, love. And where shall we live afterward?"

Yssha couldn't laugh, so she purred her loudest instead. "There is always Breezehome. It is not much, but - "

"It's better than a room at an inn," they finished together, and Marcurio did laugh. "Breezehome it is, then," he agreed. "I'll get my things together so we can move in as soon as we get back."


	6. Traveling to the Greybeards

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Chapter 6 - Traveling to the Greybeards

The next morning Yssha woke feeling more refreshed than she'd expected, having gotten a full night's sleep, which she hadn't expected. She met Marcurio in the main room for breakfast, which she barely tasted, then they walked to the Temple and up the stairs. Yssha felt odd going to her wedding in armor, especially Thieves' Guild armor, but it was the best she had, and Marcurio had decided to wear his own steel because of that.

When the door opened, Yssha was astonished to find the pews full. One side held everyone she'd met at the Guild the previous day; the other held what she could only assume were some of Marcurio's friends. Near the altar, Maramal beamed at them. "Ah, here's the happy couple now. Let's begin the ceremony."

As soon as they were within comfortable hearing distance, he spoke again. "It was Mara Who first gave birth to all of creation and pledged to watch over us as Her children. It is from Her love of us that we first learned to love one another. It is from this love that we learn that a life lived alone is no life at all. We gather here today, under Mara's loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of two souls in eternal companionship. May they journey forth together in this life and the next, in prosperity and poverty, and in joy and hardship." His attention went to Marcurio. "Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?"

Marcurio replied very firmly. "I do. Now and forever."

Maramal turned his attention to Yssha. "Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?"

"I do. Now and forever," Yssha replied just as firmly.

Maramal smiled again, then continued. "Under the authority of Mara, the Divine of Love, I declare this couple to be wed. I present to the two of you these matching rings, blessed by Mara's divine grace. May they protect each of you in your new life together."

At that, the two were surrounded by the wedding guests, congratulating them - though Vex took time to grin at Yssha. "I didn't think you were paying much attention to me. Now I know why. Talk to me again after the honeymoon."

"I will." Yssha gave her a grateful look. "I am sorry but - "

"No need to apologize; even Mercer understands. Just get it done as soon as you can. Anyway, congratulations. You got yourself a better man than you may know, and we all wish you a long and happy life."

"Thank you. I certainly hope for that." She accepted Vex's hug, then more from Brynjolf, Vekel, and even brief ones from Mercer and some of the ones she thought were Marcurio's friends, before the gathering broke up.

When it did, she went to Maramal. She'd found out the usual cost of an amulet of Mara, so she asked, "Does the Temple accept offerings?"

"Of course, my daughter," he replied. "There are many things which need done, so the most useful is gold, but others are also accepted."

"Well, since most of my other things were stolen, a bit of gold is all I have." She handed him three hundred septims, half again the cost of the amulet he had given her. "May the Nine bless you and your work."

He accepted it, giving her a stunned look. "Ah ... thank you. I assure you it will be put to good use."

"I am sure it will, Holy Brother. But we must go now." She bowed formally. "This one is Yssha of Clan and Family Ysshaya. She thanks you, and wishes you well."

"Most of their offerings are a lot smaller," Marcurio said, when they left the Temple. "I know why, though, and it was a good thing to do. It didn't leave you short, though, did it?"

"No. Even without what we picked up in the Barrow and Lucan's most generous reward, I would still have about a quarter of my equivalency stipend. With those, and not counting the heavy things your porters retrrieved, I would estimate a bit more than half." She paused. "Speaking of them, I wish to have your porters - what did you call it, on retainer? How much would that cost?"

To her astonishment, Marcurio let out a whoop of laughter. When he calmed down, he smiled at her. "Skyrim law wasn't one of the things you studied before coming here, was it?"

"Yes, but it was obviously incomplete." She sighed. "I can see where you will be coaching me for some time. What am I missing here?"

"Community property, for one thing." He grinned. "Which means we split everything, like I own half of the house, and you own half of the porter business. So you don't need a retainer. You pay by the job, because the men have to be paid, but at cost. So about half what it would run anyone else, since the profit won't have to go through a third party."

"Ah." Yssha nodded in understanding. "I ignored marriage law, yes. Until a good part of the way through Bleak Falls Barrow, I had expected to delay any relationships until I returned home. And not with a human, even then."

"And I hadn't planned on any at all until ... I think I realized how much I cared for you while we were fighting that Overlord. Because I was sure of it by the time we were on the way down to Riverwood."

"A speedy Skyrim courtship under fire for both of us, it would seem," Yssha said, letting her amusement show in her voice. "Is that how it is usually done?"

"Of course not, my love." Marcurio kept his expression and tone serious. "Most last at least a week or two, and the fighting starts _after_ the wedding."

Yssha cat-grinned. "I wish I could laugh! For a second there, I almost believed you."

"So the gods gave you Khajiit a sense of humor, but no way of expressing it. That seems ... unfair."

"Oh, we can express it easily," she said. "It is simply in a different way that most humans and mer do not recognize, such as tone of purr or positions of ears or tail. I am confident you will come to learn them in time."

"I'm sure I will," Marcurio said with a smile. "So Khajiit and probably Argonians aren't as humorless as most people think!"

"Not at all." Yssha spotted what looked like an old fortress just coming into view, perhaps a hundred yards away. "What is that?"

"I think I know, but let me check my map just to be sure." Marcurio suited action to words, and scowled. "Faldar's Tooth, all right. These days, it's a gambling den run by bandits who stage wolf fights. If we get much closer, we'll have to fight them. Or we can go around, but that'll add an hour or so to the trip. I forgot it was on the most direct route to Ivarstead."

"And the Pathfinder spell shows the easiest route, which is sometimes the same thing." Yssha looked around, not seeing a good alternative route, but Marcurio might know one. "I would rather not fight, but I would also not like to return to Riften unless we must. What would you recommend?"

Marcurio pointed to the far shore of the lake they were stopped beside. "How's your swimming? The shortest way is across Lake Hornrich, then turn west again." He looked at her sympathetically. "I know domestic cats usually don't like getting wet, but ... ?"

"Nor do I, but if that is the best alternative, I will take it." She sighed. "Greats-Grandmother warned us all that we would have to do things we disliked, and made sure we all had the basic skills. I can swim well enough, but perhaps it will not be necessary after all,"

She pointed away from the bandit den to where she had caught a glimpse of what might be a small boat. "Let us try that first, beloved. Perhaps we can buy or borrow it, if it actually is a boat."

"Yes, let's," Marcurio agreed, with no reluctance. "I can swim well enough, but I try to avoid it when wearing armor."

Careful to remain hidden from the former fort, they made their way down to what turned out to be a hunter's camp. The man was cooking a rabbit on a spit, but looked up as they approached. "Oh, hello, Marcurio. What're you doing out here?"

"Hi, Gregor. Trying to get to Ivarstead with Yssha here, but I forgot about Faldar's Tooth. Any chance we could borrow your boat for a trip across the lake?"

"Borrow?" Gregor shook his head. "Not if I have to walk all the way around the lake to retrieve it. But I'll rent it to you for five gold."

"Well worth it to avoid getting my fur wet," Yssha said, digging the requested amount out of her pouch. "Thank you, Gregor."

"Just don't sink it," Gregor called as they got into the small rowboat and began pulling for the southern shore.

"That was a fortunate encounter," Yssha commented, as they neared their goal.

Marcurio agreed. "We were lucky Gregor was there instead of back in Riften trying to sell his game. And that he'd brought his boat; he usually walks, but he must have been planning to do some fishing."

They got out of the boat and beached it, then she cast another Pathfinding spell, and they followed it northwest. This time they didn't encounter anything unexpected, though they did pass what looked like a much smaller barrow before walking into Ivarstead about mid-afternoon. "I would like to find out more about High Hrothgar before we start up the mountain," she said. "Do you know if this place has an inn?"

"I don't, but if High Hrothgar attracts pilgrims, it almost has to."

Yssha agreed, though given the size of the town - little more than a village - it was probably a small one. Still, innkeepers were almost as good information sources as thieves, so well worth seeking out.

It didn't take them long to find the Vilemyr Inn and its innkeeper, who introduced himself as Wilhelm, then said, "We don't get many visitors through here, unless they're headed up to High Hrothgar, of course."

"What can you tell me about it?"

"The Greybeards are a solitary lot," Wilhelm said slowly. "I don't think they've ever ventured outside their monastery. We get the occasional pilgrim passing through here on their way to the summit, but almost all of them have returned disappointed. Klimmek takes them supplies occasionally, but even he's never seen them, he says."

"Do you think he would tell me anything about the trip?"

"Probably. He should be in for supper in a couple of hours. Can I get you anything in the meantime?"

"We missed lunch," Marcurio said, "so a meal and something to drink would be welcome." He turned to Yssha. "Maybe a room as well?"

"Definitely," Yssha said. "Once we have spoken to Klimmek, it will be too late to start, and I have no desire to begin climbing a mountain without some rest. The trip from Riften was quite long enough for one day!"

"You're pilgrims, then?" Willem asked.

Yssha debated briefly, then decided trying to keep it secret was useless, with all of Whiterun knowing what she was. "Not exactly," she said. "I have been summoned, and I believe I should go as soon as possible."

"You? The Dragonborn?" Wilhelm laughed. "Tell me another one. I shouldn't be prying into your business, hmm? All right. I'll be right back with your food and drink." He left, and Yssha cat-grinned at her husband's expression.

"It is all right, love. We know they are expecting a Nord, and you cannot get much further than a Khajiit from that. Even an Argonian would at least be the right size! I find it amusing, not insulting."

"As long as you're sure," Marcurio said dubiously.

"I am sure," Yssha assured him, as Wilhelm returned with two bowls of stew, followed by a woman with ale bottles and tankards on a tray. As they were being served, Yssha sniffed appreciatively at the steaming stew, "This smells delicious."

Wilhelm smiled. "My wife is a very good cook. She's been offered better jobs elsewhere, but for some reason I don't understand, she stays with me." He gave the woman with the tray an affectionate glance, which she returned.

That pleased Yssha, and she purred. "Would you ask Klimmek if he would join us when he arrives?"

"Sure," Wilhelm said. and departed, chuckling and muttering, "Dragonborn, indeed."

About two hours later, a man approached them and took a seat beside Marcurio. "I'm Klimmek. Wilhelm said you wanted to see me."

"Marcurio of Riften and Yssha of Cyrodiil," Yssha replied. "Yes. He told us you made deliveries to the Greybeards, and I was hoping you would tell us something of the trip."

"Yes, and I wish I could make my deliveries more often, but the road's getting dangerous." He snorted. "Seven Thousand Steps indeed ... next time they need to build it closer to the ground."

"May I ask what you take them?"

Klimmek shrugged. "Mostly food supplies like dried fish and salted meats; you know, things that keep for a long time. The Greybeards tend not to get out much, if you catch my meaning."

"And what do you get for your labor?"

He shrugged again. "Well, it's kind of an understanding between us. I mean, it just wouldn't feel right to charge them for a bit of preserved food. Trouble is, my legs aren't what they used to be and climbing the Seven Thousand Steps takes its toll."

"We must go there tomorrow morning. If you like, we will take the supplies up for you."

"Really? That would be kind of you." Klimmek looked happily surprised. "Meet me at the bridge north of town when you're ready to leave, and I'll have a bag ready for you. At the top of the steps you'll see the offering chest. Just leave the bag inside and you're done."

"That does not sound difficult. What is the trip itself like?"

"Well, there's the occasional wolf pack or stray, but that's all I've ever had to deal with. Shouldn't be a problem for the likes of you. Other than that, watch your footing. In these wintry conditions, the stairs can be treacherous." He paused. "Yes, I know it's Heartfire, but believe me, once you get up a way, it'll feel more like Evening or Morning Star. Even if it were Sun's Height or Last Seed."

"It is a good thing I purchased extra furs, then," Yssha said.

"It is indeed," Klimmek agreed.

The three chatted a bit longer, then Klimmek had to leave to prepare the supplies. Yssha and Marcurio circulated around the inn's main room asking others about High Hrothgar and the Greybeards, but got no more information than they already had. Finally, they decided to call it a day, and went to the room Wilhelm had assigned them.


	7. Way of the Voice

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Chapter 7 - Way of the Voice

Early the next morning, immediately after they'd eaten, Yssha and Marcurio met Klimmek where he'd said to pick up the supplies, then started up the mountain. Both of them were wearing furs over their armor, which at the moment had Marcurio sweating and Yssha panting, but as they climbed, that eased. It wasn't as easy as Klimmek had said; besides the wolves he'd warned them about, they had to fight off a couple of ice wraiths and a frost troll.

It was the weather that gave them the most trouble, though. By the time they were what Yssha estimated to be a third of the way up, she was chilly despite the furs, and the wind was picking up. Not much later, it also started snowing. She'd run into that a couple of times, in the clan's more northern homes back in Cyrodiil, and had immediately decided that if she had to do more than look at it - it did make everything look remarkably clean, for a while -she didn't care for it.

But this was worse, obscuring visibility and, as it got deeper, hampering their progress. "I think I agree with Klimmek," she told Marcurio when they paused for a brief rest. "This High Hrothgar is too high for my taste, as well."

"I'll make number three," he agreed. "About the only thing good about this is that it's a dry snow, so most of it blows away except in the lowest spots. If it were a wet one, it'd be a lot worse, and we'd probably have to pitch camp at least once. We still may, if we don't get there before dark."

That was enough to energize the young, and very chilly, Khajiit. "Then let us move on. The idea of camping in the snow is ... " She paused, trying to decide on a word that would properly describe her reaction, but Marcurio cut her off.

"Not one I'd find very attractive, and it's probably worse for you, dearling." He moved out, ahead of her so he could break trail as long as he could.

That was quite the understatement, Yssha thought. She had been raised in southern Cyrodiil, and was totally unused to Skyrim's weather. especially in the mountains, like here. But it had been her choice to come here, she reminded herself, so she slogged up the mountain behind Marcurio until he let out an exclamation. "We made it!"

Yssha broke out of her single-minded concentration on moving up the mountain to stand beside him. It looked like midafternoon, so they'd made better time than she had feared. They were standing in front of a huge stone building, with a chest between two curving sets of steps. She put Klimmek's sack in the chest, then climbed the right-hand stairs and opened the large doors.

She sighed in relief at being out of the icy wind when Marcurio followed her inside and closed the door. It might or might not be warm in here - she was too cold to be sure - but the lack of wind made it feel much warmer.

A man in monkish robes approached them, speaking to her. "So ... a Dragonborn appears, at this moment in the turning of the age." He looked at Marcurio, then said, "We had expected you alone, Dragonborn. Why is he here?"

"My husband," she replied. She paused, while he studied them with an air of mild disapproval, then she asked her own question. "What does it mean to be Dragonborn?"

"We will first see if you truly have the gift. Show us, Dragonborn. Let us taste of your Voice." She hestiated, remembering what it had done outdoors; what would it do confined to a building?

He looked at Marcurio. "Ah, yes. You are the only one who might be in danger here, but we will not ask you to go back out in the snow. But you need to at least be out of, ah, line of sight." He pointed to a short flight of steps to the left. "Up there, you will see a corridor. Go right, and to the furthest living area, past the beds. The stone there is thick enough to provide protection. We will let you know when it is safe to come back."

Marcurio glanced at her, but did as the monk had said.

Arngeir turned his attention back to her. "Do not be afraid. Your shout will not harm us."

"All right, if you are sure." It was easy to remember how she had done it earlier, and she Shouted, "FUS!"

He staggered back, but then approached her again, smiling. "Dragonborn. It is you. Welcome to High Hrothgar. I am Master Arngeir. I speak for the Greybeards. Now tell me, Dragonborn, why have you come here?"

"I am answering your summons, Master Arngeir. Who and what are the Greybeards?"

"We are followers of the Way of the Voice. You Stand in High Hrothgar, on the slopes of Kynareth's sacred mountain. Here we commune with the voice of the sky, and strive to achieve balance between our inner and outer selves. We are here to guide you in that pursuit, just as the Greybeards have sought to guide those of the Dragon Blood that came before you."

"I know I am not the first Dragonborn," Yssha said. That, to the best of her knowledge, had been St. Alessia, and the Sovereigns from Tiber Septim through Martin had shared that heritage. "Am I the only one, then?"

"Whether you are the only Dragonborn of this age ... that is not ours to know. You are the only one that has been revealed thus far. That is all I can say."

He smiled at her. "We are honored to welcome a Dragonborn to High Hrothgar. We will do our best to teach you how to use your gift in fulfillment of your destiny."

"And what is my destiny, then?"

"That is for you to discover. We can show you the Way, but not your destination."

He paused before continuing. "You have shown that you are Dragonborn. You have the inborn gift. But do you have the discipline and temperament to follow the path laid out for you? That remains to be seen. Without training, you have already taken the first steps towards projecting your Voice into a Thu'um, a Shout. Now let us see if you are willing and able to learn.

"When you Shout, you speak in the language of the dragons. Thus, your Dragon Blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power. All Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger."

Then Arngeir had Master Einarth teach her the second word of Unrelenting Force by Shouting it at the floor. Approaching the glowing symbol gave her the same feeling of something pushing into her that she'd gotten at the Word Wall in the barrow, but having had it happen once before, she didn't react as strongly.

Arngeir nodded approvingly. "You learn a new word like a master... you truly do have the gift. But learning a Word of Power is only the first step... you must unlock its meaning through constant practice in order to use it in a Shout. Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon's life force and knowledge directly. As part of your initiation, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of "Ro."

Yes, that had a similar, but less - urgent? - feel to it as absorbing the dragon soul had had, and now she knew Ro the same way she knew Fus.

"Now let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu'um. Use your Unrelenting Force shout to strike the targets as they appear."

Each of the other three summoned a target for her, and she hit all three, discovering Shouting became rapidly easier with even so little practice.

Arngeir was pleased. "Impressive. Your Thu'um is precise. You show great promise, Dragonborn. We will perform your next trial in the courtyard. Follow Master Borri."

Yssha wasn't at all pleased about having to go back into the cold and wind, but sighed to herself and obeyed. Once there, Master Borri taught her Wuld, or Whirlwind, and gave her his understanding of it, just as Einarth had taught her Ro.

"Now we will see how quickly you can master a new Shout," Arngeir said. "Master Wulfgar will demonstrate Whirlwind Sprint. Then it will be your turn."

Yssha was impressed by Wulfgar's speed as he made it through a briefly-opened gate, then she got to try it - and discovered that this particular Shout was _fun_! She was tempted to use it again to return to Master Arngeir, but she had the impression he wouldn't approve, so she returned at a sedate walk.

"Your quick mastery of a new Thu'um is... astonishing. I'd heard the stories of the abilities of Dragonborn, but to see it for myself..." His voice trailed off, then became brisk again. "Do you have any questions I could help you with, Dragonborn?"

"I do indeed, and the first one is, can we please go back inside, and get Marcurio? I am still not warmed up from the Seven Thousand Steps."

"Certainly - we are used to the climate here, and tend to forget that is not true of everyone. We can also offer you food and drink, if you wish."

"That would be most welcome - thank you."

Shortly afterward, the six of them were at a dining table off the temple's main room, with hot soup and warmed ale, and she asked her first question. "Why don't the others talk?"

"Their Voices are too powerful for anyone not trained in the Way to withstand," Arngeir said. "Even a whisper could kill you." He paused. "Well, your husband, at any rate. You are not trained in the Way of the Voice, but you are Dragonborn, which provides the same protection."

"What is the Way of the Voice?"

"The Voice was a gift of the goddess Kynareth, at the dawn of time. She gave mortals the ability to speak as dragons do. Although this gift has often been misused, the only true use of the Voice is for the worship and glory of the gods. True mastery of the Voice can only be achieved when your inner spirit is in harmony with your outward actions. In the contemplation of the sky, Kynareth's domain, and the practice of the Voice, we strive to achieve this balance."

Yssha didn't show her first reaction to that. Such power, and they wouldn't use it to help people? Didn't the gods want that? The Knights of the Nine certainly believed they did. So she kept her voice neutral when she said, "But I don't follow your philosophy. Why help me learn the Voice?"

Arngeir sighed. "The Dragonborn is an exception to all the rules — the Dragon Blood itself is a gift of the gods. If we accept one gift, how can we deny the other? As Dragonborn, you have received the ability to Shout directly from Akatosh. We therefore seek to guide you on the proper use of your gift, which transcends the restrictions which bind other mortals."

Yssha returned to her first question, which had been deflected, not answered. "What does it mean to be Dragonborn?"

Arngeir's response this time was more helpful. "Dragons have the inborn ability to learn and project their Voice. Dragons also are able to absorb the power of their slain brethren. A few mortals are born with similar abilities — whether a gift or a curse has been a matter of debate down through the centuries. What you have already learned in a few hours took even the most gifted of us years to achieve. Some believe that Dragonborn are sent into the world by the gods, at times of great need. We will speak more of that later, when you are ready."

Another stall, but she would probably be back, so it could wait. "Why are Shouts in the dragon language?"

"Dragons have always been able to Shout. Language is intrinsic to their very being. There is no difference in the dragon tongue between debating and fighting. Shouting comes as naturally to a dragon as breathing or speaking. In mythic times, when mortalkind was in great need, the goddess Kynareth granted us the ability to speak as dragons do. For most people, long years of training are required to learn even the simplest Shout. But for you, the dragon speech is in your blood, and you learn it almost without effort."

That was interesting. "Hmm. Not all of life is debate or combat, so is it safe to assume they have normal language as well?"

Arngeir stared at her for a moment, then chuckled. "Yes, of course. We even have a dictionary and grammar of that. I can have a copy made for you, if you wish."

"Yes, please." Yssha sighed. "If I can talk to them, I may not have to kill them. I really prefer not to kill, but I will not hesitate when it becomes necessary."

"As a number of bandits and draugr will testify," Marcurio added. "Not to mention wolves, ice wraiths, and a troll on the way up here."

Arngeir frowned. "Wolves are common, but ice wraiths and trolls are rare on this mountain. Our Grandmaster Paarthurnax is usually able to frighten them away."

"Grandmaster?" Yssha asked curiously. "Why haven't I met him?"

"He lives in seclusion at the top of the mountain," Arngeir said. "You will probably meet him later, when your Voice is strong enough to make a journey the rest of the way up."

The idea of going the rest of the way up the mountain, especially today, was one she didn't want to entertain, so she dropped the subject. "What is next?"

"You are now ready for your last trial. Retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder, from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. Remain true to the Way of the Voice, and you will return."

"Who was Jurgen Windcaller?"

"He was a great war leader of the ancient Nords, a master of the Voice, or Tongue. After the disaster at Red Mountain, where the Nord army was annihilated, he spent many years pondering the meaning of that terrible defeat. He finally came to realize that the gods had punished the Nords for their arrogant and blasphemous misuse of the Voice. He was the first to understand that the Voice should be used solely for the glory and worship of the gods, not the glory of men. Jurgen Windcaller's mastery of the Voice eventually overcame all opposition, and the Way of the Voice was born."

He'd said the usual rules didn't apply to her, so Yssha just nodded. "Is there more you believe I should know?"

"Not until you return with the Horn," Arngeir replied. "Afterward, yes." He smiled briefly. "The trip down is quicker than the climb up, but you are welcome to remain overnight if you wish."

Yssha wasn't too thrilled about going back outside, but she didn't want to teleport in front of anyone, either. Not that it would remain a secret long that she could get places a lot faster than most people, but short of an emergency, she preferred doing so out of sight. "Thank you, Master Arngeir, but I would prefer to be warmer than seems possible up here, even with extra furs."

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "We understand, Dragonborn. We will await your return."

As soon as the two were outside, she took Marcurio's hand and cast Teleport. An eyeblink later, they were outside Whiterun. They took off the extra furs, putting them in their packs, and began the short walk to the city. The guards greeted them politely, admitting them with no questions, and they were soon home.

She opened the door and walked in, then blinked in surprise, her ears going forward. The house was still small, but no longer dusty or unfurnished, and had a cheerful fire in a firepit that hadn't been there before - or at least she hadn't noticed. It was a good thing she hadn't tried to 'port here, since it was so different from the way she would have visualized it! "What - "

Lydia turned from where she stood at a well-stocked food cabinet. "My Thane - you're back!" She smiled. "The townsfolk decided a bare shell of a house was unsuitable for the Dragonborn, so they contributed labor, furniture, and food. Most of the furniture is out of storage rooms, so some of it is a little shabby, but usable. And your bedroom is all new, of course."

"It is wonderful!" Yssha exclaimed. "Most generous - I had not expected anything like this. And right now, the fire is most welcome. It will probably take me days to thaw out from the trip to High Hrothgar." She tossed her pack onto a table, and collapsed into a chair near that warmth, then looked hopefully at her housecarl. "You wouldn't happen to have any warm ale, I suppose?"

Lydia chuckled. "No, but it won't take long to warm some, spiced the way Mother taught me." She turned to her task as Marcurio took another chair near Yssha.

"Love, I was doing some thinking on the trip up," she said. Not that she'd had much else to do, other than their brief battles, with him doing the hard work of breaking trail.

"What about?" Marcurio asked.

"Mostly that I am not truly prepared to fight Alduin," she said. "I need a better weapon, and we both need better armor, which means we need money. My equivalency stipend will not even come close to what I would wish to have for that particular battle. And to be honest, I would like more combat experience, as well."

"None of those would hurt," Marcurio agreed. "There are plenty of ways to get all of those; do you have any preference?"

Lydia was approaching with two mugs, which she handed to Yssha and Marcurio.

"None for yourself?" Yssha asked in mild surprise.

"Mine is over on the dining table," Lydia said.

"Don't be silly," Marcurio said. "Bring it over here, and pull up a chair."

When Lydia looked doubtful, Yssha nodded. "He is right. You are a member of this household, and a Nord, so you may have information we non-natives lack."

Lydia laughed, then left briefly, to return with a mug of her own, and pulled up a chair. "How can I help?"

"You heard what we need. Do you have any opinion on the best way to get it?" Yssha asked.

Lydia frowned. "The rebellion, either side, would get you combat experience and some loot, but probably not enough, or better weapons than you already have. Adventuring is iffy in all of those, depending on what you run into, but for any given encounter, better on the loot side. For armor and weapons, unless you want to take pot-luck, I'd say learn smithing and enchanting."

"I have basics in all of that, but I thank you." Yssha cat-grinned. "I shall take your advice. Ah, can you sell some things for me? Marcurio's Porter Service has some heavy items stored at the Bannered Mare for me."

"Of course, my Thane. It's a bit late today; is tomorrow morning all right?"

"Just fine," Yssha assured her. "Unless I say otherwise, assume you may do what I ask at your convenience."


	8. Laid to Rest

.

Chapter 8 - Laid to Rest

Yssha woke, happily warm, and snuggled up to Marcurio. She didn't really want to move, but her bladder was telling her that if she didn't, she'd be wet, as well as warm. Grumbling quietly to herself, she slid out of bed. It was warm enough she decided not to use the thundermug, so she grabbed a robe and went down the ladder, then outside, to the privy.

Returning to her house, she passed Marcurio on the way out, and grinned, then went back inside to get dressed.

Not long afterward, the three were having breakfast. Yssha spent the time thinking about her next move. The Thieves Guild wanted her to do those side jobs and that Goldenglow Estate job, the Greybeards wanted her to retrieve the Horn, Hadvar said she ought to join the Legion ... at this rate, she was going to have to start keeping a list of who wanted her to do what! Well, she could do the side jobs as she was in or near the target's home city, and the Legion would - unless she got stuck in an administrative role - have her doing a lot of travelling, so those two could mesh. By the time they finished breakfast, she had decided. "The Horn first, I think, to finish the Greybeards' testing of me. Then I will join the Legion, primarily for the combat experience." The Goldenglow thing would simply have to wait until after her ... could she truly call it a honeymoon, when it would be mostly fighting?

"The Legion?" Lydia asked, with a hint of either disappointment of disapproval - Yssha couldn't quite be sure, maybe both.

"Yes, of - or did you not recognize my clan and family?"

This time, there was no doubt that Lydia looked confused. "No. I know Proventus did, but I don't."

Marcurio chuckled. "Brace yourself, then. You're housecarl to a greats-granddaughter of the Champion of Cyrodiil. Surely you've heard of her!"

Lydia looked blank for a moment, then she nodded. "Ysshaya - I hadn't made the connection, but now it's obvious. No, my Thane, I apologize. You, of all people, couldn't support Jarl Ulfric."

"No apologies are necessary," Yssha said. "On religious grounds, I do support Ulfric, as I also honor Talos and hate the Thalmor. But otherwise, I cannot. Empire and Stormcloak should unite, I believe, to fight the Dominion - for I firmly believe a Second Great War is coming, and not long from now."

"Then I must support the Empire as well," Lydia said decisively. "May I accompany you, my Thane?"

"Perhaps later," Yssha said. "For now, I think I will be better off with just Marcurio. Too large a group would make me more of a target. Though I wonder if Jarl Ulfric even knows I exist."

This time it was Lydia who chuckled. "Maybe not who you are, but that 'Dovahkiin' Shout was heard all over Skyrim. What if you'd manifested in Markarth or Riften, instead of just outside Whiterun? So everyone knows there's a Dragonborn." She grimaced. "At least they only shook the ground a little. When they summoned Tiber Septim, it's said they caused real earthquakes all over the province."

"Oh, dear. So much for that secret." Yssha sighed, then realized that Lydia, at least, would have to know about her Teleport spell. "There is something else - Greats-Grandmother taught me a spell that allows me to instantly travel to anyplace I have been. I prefer not to be seen doing it, but I may need to return here in a hurry. Can you cope with that?"

"If you don't mind a startled yelp, I suppose so. Is there any way you can warn me?"

"Not yet." Yssha's purr was amused. "Greats-Grandmother has been trying to come up with a telepathy spell for decades, but has not yet succeeded. It would seem immaterial things are more difficult to move around than material ones. If she ever succeeds, though, I will learn it and warn you. In the meantime, I shall arrive in our bedroom."

"Thank you." Lydia stood. "The stores should be open by now, so I'm off to sell your loot. Blessings of the Nine on you, my Thane."

"And on you," Yssha replied, then turned to Marcurio. "I like her."

"I don't know," Marcurio said. "She's nice enough, I suppose, but ... I don't know. She gives me an odd feeling. Probably nothing, but I'm going to reserve judgement for now."

"In that case, what is the best way to get to Ustengrav?" Yssha dug out her map. "It is to the north, so a carriage to Morthal or Solitude?"

Marcurio traced routes on the map, frowning. "I'd say this way. Morthal by carriage, then across the swamps to Ustengrav. Slogging the swamps is no fun, I'll grant you, but it looks less bad than from Solitude. Not to mention shorter."

Swamps. Ugh. But ... "All right. Let us get our gear together, then down to the stables and Bjorlam."

The trip to Morthal was uneventful, but one of the first things they saw after getting out of the carriage was a burned-out house, apparently recent. Yssha decided to ask the innkeeper about it, since they'd planned on a meal there before continuing on to Ustengrav.

"Finally, someone comes in. Kick off your boots, stay awhile. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with. I got nothing but time these days." The innkeeper's greeting surprised them, but not too much given how poor the town looked.

"A meal and some ale, please," Yssha said as the two sat down. "And can you tell us anything about that burned-out house?"

"Yeah, but let me get your food and drink first." Suiting action to words, the innkeeper went to the kitchen, returning with stew and ale, then sitting at the table after serving them. "Now, Hroggar's house? It burned down not too long ago. It's a real pity about his wife and kid. The screams woke half the town. Most folk won't go near it now for fear it's cursed."

The stew wasn't up to her usual standards, but Yssha was hungry. After a few bites, she asked, "Do you know how the fire started?"

The innkeeper shrugged. "Hroggar claims it was a hearth fire. Some folks say Hroggar started it himself."

"With his own wife and child inside?"

"That's what they say. See, he's living with Alva now. That started the day after the fire. It ain't right, movin' in with a new love the day after your kin die like that."

"I gather the guards have been unable to prove it, then?"

"Aye. Our Jarl would sure like to know if he did though. Might even pay to find out."

"I shall speak to the Jarl, then. Who is it, and where can I find him or her?"

"Jarl is Idgrod Ravencrone, at Highmoon Hall. You can tell it by the guards at the door."

"Thank you." The two finished their meal while the innkeeper went to talk to an Orc who was carrying a lute. "I hope he doesn't sing," Yssha said quietly. "Orcs just don't have the voice for it."

"So we're going to investigate this?" Marcurio said. "I thought you were in a hurry to get to Ustengrav."

"I am, but I cannot simply ignore what sounds like a murder that the locals are too frightened to investigate."

He smiled. "No, you couldn't, could you? All right, the Greybeards'll just have to wait for their Horn."

Once outside the inn, they had no trouble finding Highmoon Hall. Despite being a Hold capital, Morthal was little more than a village, and clearly not a rich one. Plus there was an argument going on in front of the guarded building, apparently about someone the Jarl had allowed to live there that the townsfolk disapproved of. The two ignored that, entering the Hall.

Idgrod rose from her throne and bowed respectfully. "Welcome to Morthal, Dragonborn. I was granted a vision of your appearance, which your most-renowned ancestress shares, but the vision did not include your purpose here. Is there anything I or my town may help you with?"

Yssha glanced at Marcurio, hiding a wince, before returning the bow. "We are just passing through, my Jarl - or were, until we spoke to the innkeeper. She said you are looking for someone to investigate that house fire."

Idgrod re-seated herself, looking surprised. "The Dragonborn, interested in Hroggar's house fire? Unexpected. He lost his wife and daughter in the blaze. My people believe it to be cursed now. Who am I to gainsay them?"

"The innkeeper hinted it might be murder," Yssha said. "Another Dragonborn might be able to ignore that; this one cannot. What does Hroggar claim happened?"

"Hroggar blames his wife for spilling bear fat in the fire. Many folk think he set the fire himself."

When Yssha questioned her further, the Jarl agreed to them investigating the house and promised a reward whether she proved Hroggar innocent or guilty. Yssha agreed, and she and Marcurio left the Hall and headed toward the burned ruins. There really wasn't much to see, certainly nothing that gave her a clue as to what had happened.

Until a tiny sound made her ears twitch, and she turned to see the nearly transparent form of a small girl. She'd run into ghosts before, so she was immediately alert, but this one didn't seem to pose any threat. "Hello," she said softly. "My name is Yssha, and this is my husband, Marcurio. Who are you?"

"Helgi. But I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Are you a stranger?"

"Well, I just introduced us, and I'm the Dragonborn. Do you know who that is?"

"Oh, yes!" Helgi exclaimed. "You don't look like I thought you would, though - are you sure?"

"Both of us are very sure," Marcurio said. "And we want to help you, if we can. What can you tell us?"

They got a brief but heartwrenching tale of fire, then cold, and an offer: "If you'll play hide and seek with me, and you find me before the other one does, I'll tell you everything."

"The other one? What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you. She might hear me. She's so close."

"All right, Helgi. Later, then."

When the ghost faded away, Yssha sighed. "I think we need to report this to the Jarl."

That conversation pointed them to the town's graveyard, and shortly after dark, they neared the child's still-open grave. As they approached the coffin, they heard Helgi's voice: "Make Laelette go away!"

Neither of them had time to ask who Laelette was before they were attacked by a vampire. It wasn't a very strong one, and gave them little trouble. As soon as she was dead, Helgi spoke again, from within her coffin. "You found me! Laelette was trying to find me too, but I'm glad you found me first. Laelette was told to burn mommy and me, but she didn't want to. She wanted to play with me forever and ever. She kissed me on the neck, and I got so cold that the fire didn't even hurt. Laelette thought she could take me and keep me, but she can't. I'm all burned up."

Thonnar, who'd apparently run up sometime during the fight or Helgi's revelation, cried out. "Laelette! She's dead! Ysmir's beard! She's...she's a vampire!"

Yssha looked at him sympathetically. "Truly, I am sorry we were forced to kill her. But vampires are such a danger to all ... " She let her voice trail off. Vampires weren't spontaneously generated; they had to get it from another vampire. "What can you tell me about her?"

"Laelette? I thought she left to join the Stormcloaks. Ah! My poor Laelette!"

She hated to intrude on his grief further, but she didn't see much choice. "Was there anything unusual going on before she left?"

Thonnar looked thoughtful. "She began to spend a lot of time with Alva. Yet just a week before, she despised her. In fact, the night she disappeared, she was supposed to meet Alva. Alva told me later that she never showed up. I never got to tell her goodbye."

Yssha sighed, but had to get confirmation. "I think they may have met, actually."

Thonnar looked deeply shocked. "You think Alva...but that means... Ye gods! You think Alva is a vampire? No! You're wrong. You must be wrong. Laelette may have met her fate out in the marsh. I refuse to believe Alva had anything to do with this. There is no way you can prove it to the Jarl." He ran down the hill, probably toward his home.

"What now?" Marcurio asked.

"Back to town, and find a guardsman," Yssha replied. "We're on a mission for the Jarl, so they should be cooperative."

That proved to be correct, and not long afterward, she, Marcurio, and a pair of guardsmen were at the door of Alva's house. No one had a key, but Yssha's lockpicking skill was enough to get them in, though it felt odd doing so with a pair of guards looking over her shoulder.

She was glad to have them there, though, when they entered and Hroggar immediately attacked. She kept out of it, letting the guards subdue him, then told them she had to explore the cellar. She and Marcurio were cautious; it was still early enough that Alva might be either in her coffin or out and about.

It turned out to be a little of both - Alva was still there, but getting ready to leave. There was a brief battle that left the vampire a pile of dust, which Yssha collected, then they explored the room. "Hey, look at this!" Marcurio called, holding out a book he'd found on a table.

Yssha took it, skimming the first couple of pages, then slammed it shut. "We have to get this to the Jarl, right away."

Fortunately, despite the hour, the Jarl was still on her throne when they entered Highmoon Hall. She waved them forward. "You have news for me, Dragonborn?"

"Yes, my Jarl. Laelette set the fire, after Alva turned her into a vampire. Hroggar was innocent, but under Alva's control until I killed her." She extended the journal. "The whole story is in here."

Jarl Idgrod took it and read it quickly, then looked up. "So it's true. That traitorous bitch! Morthal owes you a debt. Here." The Jarl handed over a surprisingly large coinpurse. "You were promised a reward for solving the crime, but I need one more favor from you. Morthal is still in danger. The journal mentions Movarth, a master vampire I thought was destroyed a century ago. I'll have Aslfur gather together some able-bodied warriors to clean out Movarth's lair. They'll be waiting outside for you to lead them."

"A den of vampires. Well, we already took care of two of them." Yssha sighed. "But make it in the morning, all right? Marcurio and I have had a long day, and I'd rather find them in their daytime sleep instead of their nighttime strength."

Idgrod nodded thoughtfully. "A wise thought. Yes, the men will be waiting outside the Hall when you're ready to go."

* * *

The next morning, rested and refreshed, they approached the group standing in front of Highmoon Hall, but those took off at a run before Yssha and Marcurio reached them, yelling about what they'd do to the vampires. Yssha glanced at her husband with a grin and shrug, and followed them.

By the time they reached the mouth of the lair, though, the crowd had dwindled down to Thonnar, who offered to join them. While he had a decent enough steel war axe, he was unarmored, so she shook her head. "I would not feel right taking someone without armor into such danger. It would be best if you wait here, or return home."

He was clearly relieved by that, and left after admitting that he wasn't a warrior.

"I hope the crowd did not waken the vampires," Yssha said.

"And I wish we had more information, like how many there are," Marcurio added. "Sneak in, do you think?"

Yssha nodded. He was surprisingly good at sneaking, for someone wearing heavy armor, and surprise was always good, when they could achieve it. She led the way into the cavern, where they almost immediately encountered a trio of frostbite spiders. Those had become routine, and gave the pair no problems. Further along, they saw someone at a table holding a lamp, looking away from them. Yssha drew her dagger, and motioned Marcurio to stay back. Good as he was at sneaking, she was better, as usual for Khajiiti.

Seconds later, the vampire's thrall was dead and they were moving silently along a short winding path to a small room. The smell of death was powerful, and she wasn't surprised to see carts full of body parts. Further on, they found a room with a hole, a voice coming from it obviously speaking to one or more victims. Marcurio took this one with an ice spike to the throat.

The next tunnel had two pathways, one leading up, the other down. Yssha concentrated, her ears pricking forward as she sniffed for a clue as to which way to go. Faint sounds and a carrion smell led her to pick the lower path, and she exchanged the dagger for her mace. At the end was a dining room, with maybe half a dozen vampires and thralls moving around, and one she guessed to be Movarth seated at the far end of the table. There didn't seem to be much point in trying to sneak right through the middle of them, so she and Marcurio discussed tactics in hushed tones. Once they'd decided, Yssha advanced briefly, shouted "Fus Ro!" and promptly retreated to the tunnel.

As at Bleak Falls Barrow, this kept their foes from a mass attack, forcing them to approach singly. One at a time, the vampires and thralls were easy prey, even when reinforcements arrived from somewhere, and they were soon finished. In the dining room, they searched the bodies and table, taking the gold and other small items they found. "Or should we take everything?" Yssha asked. "Morthal does not look big enough to support a branch of your service."

Marcurio chuckled. "It isn't, but I do have branches in Solitude and Markarth, so leave the big stuff. We don't want to be carrying it through Ustengrav anyway, and we're halfway there. Or do you want to give Jarl Idgrod the news first?"

Yssha thought for a few seconds. "I would prefer not to return to Morthal after this trip unless we must, and this place is not that far. It would cost us little time to return, even without teleportation."

"Let's go, then."

"Conventionally, until we are outside. I have a feeling we will miss something important, otherwise."

Marcurio looked at her curiously, but he trusted her feelings. "All right."

Once again, she led the way. It was uneventful until they were nearly back to the exit, when Helgi's ghost appeared again. The little girl smiled at them. "Thank you for killing the ones who killed Mommy and me. I can sleep now. Goodbye, pretty Dragonborn." She disappeared.

Yssha blinked back tears. "Goodbye, Helgi," she whispered.

* * *

Author's Note: Don't expect updates this quickly, as a rule; I had an unusually productive writing day. Comments and suggestions welcomed.


	9. Horn of Jurgen Windcaller

.

Chapter 9 - Horn of Jurgen Windcaller

Two teleports and another heavy coinpurse later, they were back at Movarth's Lair, heading toward Ustengrav. As Marcurio had said, it wasn't that far away, though part of the trip was through a marsh Yssha found unpleasant - smelly as well as wet. Fortunately for her, that part didn't last long, and they were soon back on dry ground.

They approached Ustengrav cautiously, not sure what to expect other than that there were sure to be draugr inside, and quite possibly something else as well. So they weren't too surprised to find a dead bandit - but he'd been hit by a fire or lightning spell. "Wonderful," Yssha said in disgust, but carefully keeping her voice down. "Bandits and mages, as well as draugr."

Marcurio chuckled softly. "Looks like they're killing each other off, at least. And we do know now what we'll be facing."

"True, but - " Yssha's comment was interrupted by the crackle of a spell being cast, followed by a short-lived scream. Readying her mace, she said, "Sounds like one less bandit. Over there."

Marcurio was already moving toward the sounds, spells ready in both hands. He saw the mage first - a necromancer, from her robes - and cast both spells, fire and shock, while she was frantically trying to prepare a spell of her own. She didn't have time to scream before she died.

At about the same time, a bandit spotted Yssha and charged, swinging his sword. He was in hide armor, so her fire spell wasn't as effective as if he'd been wearing fur, but it caught him in the throat and jaw, stopping him as effectively as if he'd been ablaze. She finished him off with her mace, took the gold and an amethyst from the body, then went back to the first one they'd found and did the same.

Entering the rimmed pit that held Ustengrav's door, they found no opposition, just another dead bandit and a chest that yielded some gold and a couple of gems, plus bits of weapons and armor that they left for the porters. Going into sneak mode, Yssha opened the door very carefully - and was immediately glad she'd decided to sneak, because up ahead, necromancers and bandits were fighting it out.

The two groups seemed to be evenly matched at first, trading blows for spells, until two of the bandits went down. That, naturally, turned the battle in the necromancers' favor when the two were reanimated and began attacking their former fellows. That was bad, since it meant Yssha and Marcurio would have to face both groups at once.

Since it was useless to wait and hope they'd kill each other off, best to take the fight to the necromancers; when they died, the bandits they were reanimating would, as well. Yssha signaled Marcurio that she was going to Shout once he had spells ready, for when the necromancers' concentration was broken. When he nodded that he was ready, she Shouted, "Fus Ro!" and charged forward at the staggered mages.

Marcurio had chosen to dual-cast Lightning Bolt to do physical and magica damage at the same time. He took one down before she could concentrate enough to cast a ward spell, but by the time Marcurio aimed at the next one, he no longer had that advantage, and it turned into a magical slugfest.

Yssha had more trouble with her opponent, though she did get a couple of mace blows in before he could begin casting and she had to start casting Healing on herself while she kept closing in, striking whenever she got close enough.

It couldn't have taken more than a few minutes, but it felt like a lot longer before both were victorious. After the necromancers were down, the remaining bandits were easy. The two took time to make sure they were fully healed before doing the usual looting and continuing on their way.

They had to battle draugr through the next passage, but fire spells and Yssha's mace took care of them. The chamber beyond that had no enemies, just a hidden passage with some treasure. but following that was a burial chamber, so it was back to fighting.

That led them to a large door, which opened onto a series of staircases leading them down and around, avoiding a few traps with no trouble, fighting occasional draugr and skeletons, until they arrived in a huge cavern above a forested valley.

"Would you look at that!" Marcurio exclaimed in awe. "It's beautiful!"

"Yes, it is - and look over there!" She pointed down and to their right. "It's a word wall - we have to get down there."

Carefully, avoiding another trap and flaming a few skeletons, they made their way down and around the lower cavern and to the word wall, where Yssha absorbed another word. "Feim," she said. "It is odd, but I think I am beginning to understand ... I am almost certain it means 'fade'." She laid her ears back in a frown. "It is ... almost as if I am beginning to remember. Arngeir said language was intrinsic to the dragons' very being, and I have a dragon soul ... do you think that could be it?"

"But dragons don't have to absorb another's soul to Shout," Marcurio objected.

"No, but not all dragon speech is Shouting. I think ... the soul is to unlock the knowledge to use a word as a shout. And not all words are Words of Power, or there would not be a special term for them. For instance I can use 'fus' as the word for force, or as a Shout to use that effect."

Marcurio nodded. "Put that way, it does make sense. But you have to read or hear the word to know what it means?"

"So it would seem. I hope Arngeir has the language books he promised when we return the Horn, because I can easily see needing to know it." She looked around. "We found the word wall, but I see no exit from here except the way we came down. Still, one can hope."

She cast Pathfinder, and that hope vanished. "No. Back up and around it is."

Back at the top of the climb, she cast Pathfinder again. This time it bent to their left, and toward an odd-looking group of three stones. "I wonder what those are."

"Only one way to find out," Marcurio said. "I've never seen anything like this." That didn't take long. When Yssha walked past what looked like the front of one, it made an odd noise, and a gate ahead of them slid open, but only for a few seconds. "Maybe try running past all three?" Marcurio suggested.

Yssha did so, and all three gates did open, but had closed by the time she got there. When she returned, she said, "Perhaps if you trigger the first one?"

"It's worth a try." But when Marcurio approached the stone, nothing happened.

"Hmm." Yssha measured the distance with her eyes. "It might work. Let me try Whirlwind Sprint." Suiting action to words, she shouted "Wuld!" and shot toward the gates.

The last one was still open, but the first one was down and the second descending when she got there. "A matter of timing, then."

On the fourth try, she ran past the first two unaided, and shouted "Wuld!" as she was passing the third. That did the trick; she was through, and the gates remained open. She smiled when Marcurio joined her. "That is a very clever protection."

"Especially if it only works for a Dragonborn. Or a Khajiit, or a woman. None of which apply to me." He grinned. "The only one I regret at the moment is not being Khajiit, but with both of us mages, that problem can be overcome."

Yssha purred. "Indeed. But we must not have kits just yet. Not until Alduin is defeated, the civil war is over, and we have a place in the country."

Marcurio looked at her quizzically. "The first two I understand and agree with, but why the third?"

"Because I find cities stifling. I hated them when I was a kitten myself, and only felt free when I was fostered at the Priory of the Nine. I would rather not subject any children of mine to the dirt, stench, and crime of a city except for visits."

Marcurio kissed her. "All right, love. We'll talk to Jarl Siddgeir fairly soon, then, and see if we can get a country place in Falkreath Hold. It's the warmest hold in Skyrim, too."

Yssha gave him a quick lick on the cheek. "Thank you, beloved."

On that note, they moved forward until they reached a two-level room with a tiled floor, holes in the middle of the tiles on the bottom level. Marcurio cursed. "Fire trap. There's a way through, but it could be anything from tile color to how many steps in a given direction."

Yssha frowned. "I could use Wuld to get through without harm, but you cannot. Perhaps you should go outside?"

"Not and leave you behind, with no idea of what you still have to face." Marcurio studied the floor. "You use Wuld. I'm pretty sure I can Heal myself fast enough to get up on that platform, even if I trip every one of the traps."

"All right." Yssha didn't like that, but she trusted her husband to know his abilities. "Wuld!"

By the time he arrived, she was battling three frostbite spiders, one a giant one, and she was glad for his help. Between the two of them, the spiders didn't stand a chance. When they were all dead, she turned to Marcurio. "Are you all right, beloved?"

"Fine. I lucked onto the pattern, so I barely got singed, and I Healed that." He smiled. "How about you, love?"

"Fine, now. I took some damage, but Healing is most helpful. Shall we continue?"

"Lead on."

Pathfinder led them to a wall of spiderwebs which Marcurio eliminated with a fire spell. They encountered a few more of the smaller frostbite spiders before coming to a clear pathway to what looked like a tomb, leading over a lake or wide river, and they exchanged hopeful glances.

As they went toward the tomb, there was a rumbling sound, the bridge they were on trembled, and carvings - symbolic dragon heads? - rose from the water. Both went on alert, but nothing untoward happened - at least until they reached the tomb and Yssha climbed to the upheld hand above it.

That was when Marcurio heard her yowl of fury, and she was actually shaking when she came back down. "A note," she growled. "A gods-cursed _note_!"

Marcurio took it and read it aloud. "Dragonborn- I need to speak to you. Urgently. Rent the attic room at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, and I'll meet you. -A friend."

"No friend of mine," Yssha snarled. "But I suppose we have no choice. I do not feel like searching this place, so I will not grudge anything your porters keep. I must return to Riverwood."

"I won't tell them that, though." Marcurio took her hand. "Let's go."

They appeared outside Riverwood, and Yssha made a beeline for the inn, barely pausing to wave to the few people she know who were outside. Inside the inn, she headed for Delphine, the innkeeper. "I want to rent the attic room," she growled.

Delphine's eyebrows rose. "We don't have an attic room, but you can have the one on the left."

"Very well." Yssha and Marcurio entered the indicated room and waited. Marcurio had never seen his wife so angry, and was glad he wasn't the target of it.

Not too long afterward, Delphine entered. "So you're the Dragonborn I've been hearing so much about. I think you're looking for this." She handed over the Horn.

Yssha took it, then Delphine continued. "We need to talk. Follow me."

Yssha did so, her claws involuntarily extending and retracting.

Delphine led her into a basement room concealed by a wardrobe, then Yssha said, "You had best have a good reason for your theft. "

"It was the only way I could make sure it wasn't a Thalmor trap. I'm not your enemy. I already gave you the horn. I'm actually trying to help you. I just need you to hear me out."

"You are a Blade," Yssha said flatly. "My ancestry is known in Whiterun."

"Not to me," Delphine said. "All I know about you is that the Greybeards seem to think you're the Dragonborn. I hope they're right. And what makes you think I might be a Blade?"

"Because your sword is identical to the Akaviri katana over the mantel of our clanhome in Leyawiin. The one my greats-grandmother Ysshaya was given by the Grandmaster Jauffre at Cloud Ruler Temple."

"You're right, I am," Delphine admitted, looking startled, but she didn't let it interrupt her spiel. "I didn't go to all this trouble on a whim. I'm not your enemy. I already gave you the horn. I'm actually trying to help you. I just need you to hear me out."

"I will listen. But you have much to explain."

Delphine sighed. "You don't like me, do you? But there's a chance you really are the Dragonborn, and I need to find out for sure."

"And if I choose not to aid one who has already thwarted and deceived me?" Yssha challenged.

"I gave you the damned horn, didn't I?"

"Yes, I must give you that much credit." Yssha calmed down, a little. Very little. "I shall return it to the Greybeards. Perhaps we shall speak later, or perhaps not. I have not decided."

Delphine sighed. "Obviously, I've made a serious error in judgement, but I still need to be sure about you. Feel free to visit me any time. For what it's worth, I apologize for taking the Horn before you got to it."

"I shall consider your apology." Yssha left the basement room, Marcurio following her, and left the inn before turning to her husband. "She leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Shall we return to Whiterun?"

"Please." He took her hand, and she cast Teleport.

Back in Breezehome, he continued. "I agree. She may be all right, but I can't say I trust her. Not Thalmor or anything, obviously, but ... I don't know. She just doesn't feel right."

"She does know more about the dragons than I do, however, so I will have to speak with her again, at least once. But not until I calm down more - and her deceit so far leaves me disinclined to trust her in anything substantial."

"Welcome back, my Thane," Lydia said, climbing the steps to the sleeping area. "I heard you talking - can I get you anything?"

Yssha looked at Marcurio, who nodded, then at Lydia. "That might not be a bad idea, truly. We have not eaten since morning, and we have been fighting most of the day."

"I'll get something cooking right away!" the housecarl exclaimed, heading back downstairs.

Yssha and Marcurio followed more slowly, sitting at the table with mugs of ale. "I think we should wait until morning to return the Horn," she said after taking a swallow. "That will give us a chance to send a courier to your service's representative in Solitude, unless you think that can wait until we go there for me to join the Legion."

Marcurio chuckled. "Given how long it won't take us to get to High Hrothgar and back, and that we can get from Ustengrav to Solitude in about three hours, I think it can wait." He paused. "Though since they'll probably want to train you some more, and I'd have to hide behind a wall again, maybe I should stay here. It's not like you have to climb those steps this time."

"I did feel bad about that part, so that sounds like a better idea. So I will return the Horn first thing in the morning, then come back for you, and we can 'port to Ustengrav, then walk to Solitude."

"Sounds good to me," Marcurio replied.

It wasn't just a matter of handing Arngeir the Horn, though. He approached her with a smile when she entered High Hrothgar. "Ah! You've retrieved the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Well done. You have now passed all the trials."

Then, rather than taking the Horn, he led her toward the other three, who were waiting in the main hall. "Come with me. It is time for us to recognize you formally as Dragonborn."

Once they were all together, Anrgeir said, "First, Master Wulfgar will teach you the final word of Unrelenting Force. You are ready. The final word is "Dah," which means "Push." With all three words together, this Shout is much more powerful. Use it wisely."

Wulfgar shouted it at the floor in the now-familiar way, and Yssha absorbed it. Then Arngeir went on, "Master Wulfgar will now gift you with knowledge of 'Dah.'"

When that was done, Arngeir smiled at her. "You have completed your training, Dragonborn. We would Speak to you. Stand between us, and prepare yourself. Few can withstand the unbridled Voice of the Greybeards. But you are ready."

Yssha braced herself as all four began to Shout at her. "Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul, voth nid balaan klov praan nau. Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok."

Yssha was never sure how she managed to survive the waves of sound and buffeting that came with each word, and when it was over she felt like she'd been through four dungeons without a break, but she was still standing. Somehow.

Arngeir smiled again. "Dovahkiin. You have tasted the Voice of the Greybeards, and passed through unscathed. High Hrothgar is open to you."

She bowed politely to each of them. "You do me great honor, Masters. But my dragon speech is limited to a few words; will you tell me what that ceremony was about?"

"We spoke the traditional words of greeting to a Dragonborn who has accepted our guidance," Arngeir replied. "The same words were used to greet the young Talos, when he came to High Hrothgar, before he became the Emperor Tiber Septim.

"But as you properly reminded me, you are not as versed in the dragon tongue as we are. This is a rough translation: 'Long has the Stormcrown languished, with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of Old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North; hearken to it.'"

Borri said something as softly as he could, and Arngeir frowned briefly before continuing. "Master Borri suggests I warn you of something."

Yssha's ears pricked forward in interest and curiosity. "What is that, Master Arngeir?"

"We are deliberately isolated here, and are unaware of the political situation at this time, nor have we any desire to know. But you, Dovahkiin, cannot avoid it. You are aware that when we Summoned you, it was heard throughout Skyrim?"

"I was told so, yes, hard as it is to believe." Yssha had a sinking feeling that she knew what he was going to say next. "So this was heard province-wide as well?"

"Yes, and though it has not been used to welcome a dragon-souled Dragonborn for over six hundred years, and few know the dovahzul - dragon speech - the meaning has been passed down, and correctly. So everyone in Skyrim knows we have formally accepted a Dovahkiin, though at this point, I doubt many know who it is."

Yssha sighed. "I was afraid you were going to say that. All of Whiterun and Morthal know, so if Skyrim's rumor mills and gossips are as efficient as Cyrodiil's, the knowledge of my identity and appearance will spread quickly."

"I fear so," Arngeir replied. "Human nature being what it is, after all. But it will have advantages as well as disadvantages, and your stealth abilities will help you avoid some of those. Though I would venture to suggest investing in things like invisibility potions as a backup to a Khajiit's natural abilities."

Yssha couldn't help chuckling for a second. She'd best make friends with the town alchemist, then!

She started to say her goodbyes, then remembered something. "Master, you said I could have a dovah dictionary and grammar - has there been an opportunity to copy those yet? Or perhaps I could borrow them ... as I see or hear a word, I seem to 'remember' it. So I would not need them for long."

Masters Borri and Wulfgar exchanged a few words she didn't understand, then Arngeir turned to her, laughing. "Dovahkiin, you have just solved a long-standing dispute among us. For that alone, you may use the originals. Master Wulfgar?"

He hurried away, and returned shortly afterward, carrying two books. He handed them to her, bowing and grinning widely.

Yssha couldn't help smiling. "I gather he won the dispute? Truly, I will return these as soon as I have read them."

"Thank you, Dovahkiin. Oh, and feel free to depart from and return to this hall as you choose. We sense your arrival or departure, and there is no reason to suffer discomfort when you wish to visit us."

Yssha wanted to hug him in gratitude, but was certain his dignity wouldn't allow it, so she simply bowed. "Thank _you_, Master Arngeir. If I may, I will depart now; I have much to do."

"Lok thu'um, Dovahkiin."

"Lok thu'um, Masters."


	10. Joining the Legion

[Author's Note: The end of the last chapter is where departures from canon will become more noticeable. The primary reason is that in the game, the DB is barely noticed as anything other than a normal member of his or her race, where in anything like a realistic world, someone known to be of historic importance isn't going to be essentially ignored. Yes, I understand why Bethesda did it that way, and in-game it doesn't bother me, but turning it into a story requires a lot of different actions, choices, and reactions.]

Chapter 10 - Joining the Legion

Yssha's return to Whiterun was fine, as long as she stayed in Breezehome, but as soon as she left to go to the alchemist, she was greeted and welcomed by seemingly everyone she met ... and not just as Dragonborn, but as Ysmir, and by a few as Talos. Those she protested, saying it was sacrilegious. Most looked dubious, but agreed not to use it to her, and ask others to refrain as well. Ysmir didn't bother her much more than Dragonborn did, but she worshiped Talos herself, so that name applied to her was just _wrong_.

The alchemist was next to Belethor's store; she'd noticed it on her first trip, but not gone in. The woman smiled when she and Marcurio entered. "Welcome, Dragonborn! How can I help you? Healing potions, perhaps?"

Yssha couldn't help an amused purr. "Definitely. I will certainly be needing those. And might you have any for waterwalking?"

"Waterwalking?" The woman - Yssha guessed her to be the proprietor, Arcadia - shook her head. "Those come from Cyrodiil, cost a fortune, and are almost impossible to get, here. We simply don't have the ingredients. For waterwalking, you'll need an enchanter."

"So my limited alchemy skills are even more limited here." Yssha sighed. "All right. I will take any healing potions you have available. Dare I hope for potions that cure poison effects?"

The proprietor chuckled. "Those, we have. And if you want to improve your alchemy skills, I can teach you the basics. Enough for restoration-type potions, at least, and I usually have a decent stock of ingredients."

"I would appreciate that." Some time at the alchemy station in Arcadia's shop taught her three useful potions, and she bought a few ingredients as well. When that was done, she asked, "How much do I owe you?"

Arcadia grinned. "Nothing, this time. Oh, I'll charge you full price next time, most likely, but chaos - having a Dragonborn around, now that the World-Eater's back, is payment enough for now."

Yssha bowed, formally, fisted hands crossed over her chest. "This one thanks you, and will accept your generosity. But she expects to be treated as a normal customer from now on."

Arcadia laughed. "As you wish, Dragonborn. Just remember I'll buy any ingredients and potions you find and don't want, as well."

"I shall remember." Yssha bowed again, less formally, and left the shop. "I like her," she told Marcurio.

"So do I, but be careful - she tries to sell curative potions, even if the customer doesn't really need them at the moment, by hinting they may have a disease. If you're in doubt, go to a shrine instead."

Yssha shrugged. "She is a merchant in a poor land. That does not surprise me. Between healing potions, Healing, and shrines, plus what she taught me about curing diseases with the ingredients here, we should be fine."

"All right, love." Marcurio smiled down at her. "On to Solitude?"

"Yes." Yssha laid her ears back as they headed downhill to the city gates. "Feelings are notoriously unreliable, but something tells me I will not be able to confront Alduin until ... something ... about Whiterun is decided." She shook her head, grimacing. "What, I do not know. And why, I know even less. But the feeling is very strong."

* * *

At Ustengrav, they went in the back way to return the Horn to its proper place, then they set out for Solitude. Except for a couple of wolves and a single bandit, the three-hour trip was uneventful.

Solitude was impressive, the biggest city Yssha had seen in Skyrim, though still far smaller than the Imperial City. There was an execution taking place when they went through the main gates, but Yssha pointedly ignored it, not really wanting to see another beheading. Instead, they went to the nearby Winking Skeever Inn for a quick drink and directions to the Legion headquarters.

Those turned out to be in Castle Dour, up a ramp that led to a large arch. Inside were several soldiers training, and a pair guarding a door to her left. She approached those. "I wish to join the Legion," she told one. "Can you tell me where I may do so?"

He grinned at her, pointing at the door. "In there. You'll need to talk to Legate Rikke; she's probably in the map room with General Tullius. Through the door and straight ahead."

"Thank you." She and Marcurio followed those directions, and found General Tullius arguing with a woman Yssha presumed was Legate Rikke, from her armor.

"I'm telling you, Ulfric's planning an attack on Whiterun," she was saying.

"He'd be insane to try," Tullius retorted. "He doesn't have the men."

"That's not what my scouts report, sir. Every day more join his cause. Riften, Dawnstar, and Winterhold support him."

"It's not a cause," Tullius insisted. "It's a rebellion."

"Call it whatever you like, General," Rikke said with a sigh. "The man's going to try to take Whiterun."

"Jarl Balgruuf -" Tullius started to say.

"Balgruuf refuses the Legion's right to garrison troops in his city," Rikke pointed out. "On the other hand, he also refuses to acknowledge Ulfric's claim."

"Well, if he wants to stand outside the protection of the Empire, fine," Tullius snorted. "Let Ulfric pillage his city."

"General." Rikke's tone was stiff.

Tullius looked and sounded less than happy. "You people and your damn Jarls."

"Sir? You can't force a Nord to accept help he hasn't asked for."

"If Ulfric's making a move for Whiterun, then we need to be there to stop him. Draft another letter with the usual platitudes, but this time share some of your intelligence regarding Ulfric's plans. Embellish if you have to. We'll let it seem like it's his idea."

"Yes, sir."

"You Nords and your bloody sense of honor."

The General didn't seem to think much of the Nords, Yssha thought. If he had such a low opinion of them, why had he been assigned here? Was it a punishment tour, or was he simply the most competent at handling a rebellion, sent here in spite of his opinion? She very much hoped it was the latter.

"Sir," Rikke said stiffly.

That was when Tullius noticed the two, and approached. "Are my men now giving free rein to anyone who wanders into the castle? Do you have some reason to be here, citizen?"

"I was at Helgen, General," Yssha said. "I am Yssha, of Family and Clan Ysshaya. I escaped with Hadvar. He said I should join the Legion when I got to Solitude."

Tullius smiled briefly. "Yes, he got in day before yesterday, and has been singing your praises. You might want to know the captain who sent you to the block when it was obvious to anyone you couldn't be a Stormcloak has been disciplined."

That surprised Yssha. "Obvious? How?"

"The Stormcloaks are all Nords. They would never accept a Khajiit - chaos, they won't even let your folk or Argonians into Windhelm! Even mer are barely tolerated. Now, why don't you have a chat with Legate Rikke? I suspect we might have use for someone resourceful like you. Not many survived Helgen. Besides, I'm sure your being imprisoned in the first place was all a terrible misunderstanding."

Yssha inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement, then walked over to Rikke, who looked at her consideringly. "So you're the Yssha of Ysshaya Hadvar's so impressed with. You did a good job getting out of Helgen, but I still need to test you."

"What kind of test?" Yssha asked.

"The kind that evaluates your usefulness during ... duress. I'm sending you to clear a nest of bandits out of Fort Hraagstad so we can garrison it. If you survive, you'll pass. If you die, then I'll have no further use for your corpse."

Yssha purred briefly. "We shall be back as soon as we have finished." Then she and Marcurio left, hearing Tullius chuckle as they walked out of the map room.

Rikke looked curiously at General Tullius. "What's so funny, sir?"

"I'm from Cyrodiil, you know." Tullius chuckled again. "So I know about Clan and Family Ysshaya, which you just proved you don't. Being from that clan and family, she's undoubtedly highly trained in at least combat, and possibly magic. A nest of bandits will be a walk in the park for her, not really a test, especially with that mage friend of hers along."

Rikke looked rueful. "No, I didn't know. On the other hand, I can't very well test her much harder than I would any other potential soldier, can I?"

"I suppose not," Tullius conceded. "But it's something we need to keep in mind when selecting assignments for her. Or them, if they stay together a lot."

Yssha hadn't heard the General's comments about her family, but he was right; Fort Hraagstad and its bandits were less of a challenge than an easy opportunity to gather some loot. Not that it was particularly valuable loot, but at this point, she was more than willing to take and sell anything they could find.


	11. The Jagged Crown

.

Chapter 11 - The Jagged Crown

The next morning, when Yssha entered the map room to report, she and Marcurio found General Tullius and Legate Rikke in another discussion, so she held her peace until they came to a good place for her to interrupt.

"Tell me again, why I'm wasting men chasing after a fairy tale," the general said gruffly.

Rikke was blunt. "If Ulfric gets his hand on that crown, it won't be a fairy tale. It'll be a problem."

"Don't you Nords put any stock in your own traditions? I thought the Moot chose the king. We're backing Elisif. When the Moot meets, they'll do the sensible thing."

"Not everyone's agreed to the Moot. And not everyone wants Elisif, with war against the Dominion looming. You've been here long enough to know that Nords aren't always sensible. We follow our hearts."

"So what - Ulfric gets this crown and then suddenly he's High King?"

Rikke's self control was good, if strained, Yssha thought. "No, it's not as simple as that, but the Jagged Crown would be a potent symbol for his cause to rally around. But, if we found it first..."

"And if we gave it to Elisif?"

"In the absence of the Moot, it would further legitimize her claim."

"Perhaps ... I'm entrusting you with what resources I can spare. But I'm warning you, if this turns out to be a waste of time and men ..."

"It won't be a waste."

"All right, but make sure you take the Auxiliary here, and remember what I told you about her. You can send her back when you get there and find nothing but old bones and cobwebs."

"The Stonefist's no fool. He's found the Crown. But we'll get to it first."

That seemed like a good time to break in, so Yssha spoke. "Legate Rikke? Fort Hraagstad is clear."

Rikke grinned. "Congratulations - I'm glad you made it, but after what General Tullius told me about your clan and family, I shouldn't be surprised." She cocked her head toward Marcurio. "I assume your friend there helped."

"He is my husband, so of course he did." Yssha gave him a fond look, then turned back to Rikke. "What now?"

"Well, if you want to make your membership in the Legion official, you need to join it formally by taking the oath from Gereral Tullius."

"I do, and will." She turned to the general. "Sir?"

"In joining the Legion, you'll be taking an oath binding you to the service of the Emperor and thus to every citizen of the Empire."

"I am aware of that, sir. I am ready."

"Well then. Repeat after me:

"Upon my honor I do swear undying loyalty to the Emperor, Titus Mede II ... "

Yssha repeated that line, and the rest.

"and unwavering obedience to the officers of his great Empire.

"May those above judge me, and those below take me, if I fail in my duty.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire!"

"Welcome to the Imperial Legion, soldier," Tullius said, with a hint of a smile. "Just remember, we take care of our own. Once you're in the Legion, you're in it for life. Speak to Beirand, he's normally out by the forge. He'll get you outfitted. Now, if I'm not mistaken, Legate Rikke has a special assignment for you."

That threw Yssha into a dilemma. She meant the oath, and intended to live by it, but ... "Perhaps I should have said this sooner, but it did not occur to me. Ah, you heard the Shout yesterday?"

The general and Rikke both looked puzzled. "Yes, it shook the Castle, so we couldn't miss it," Tullius replied. "Why?"

"I fear I was the cause. It was directed at me."

Tullius looked blank, but Rikke looked stunned. "You? You're the Dragonborn? A Khajiit?"

Yssha gave her the full formal bow. "I am. I hope that will not be too awkward for you. It was not my choice, I assure you!"

After a moment, both of them started laughing heartily. Yssha wasn't sure whether or not she should be offended; she didn't think being some sort of destiny-touched dragon-killer was in the slightest bit amusing. Chaos, given Greats-Grandmother's experiences, being destiny-touched at all was a curse, not a blessing!

Tullius recovered first. "You're telling me a descendant of Ysshaya, Hero of Kvatch and Champion of Cyrodiil, is the Dragonborn of Skyrim? I don't believe that!"

"Good," Yssha replied. "Then you will treat me as a normal Legionnaire? Please?"

Rikke nodded. "As much as possible, certainly. We will, however, at least be understanding if calls on you as Dragonborn keep you from a mission on occasion."

"Thank you, but I shall try to avoid that as much as possible. Something deep within me tells me that Skyrim must be unified before I can fulfill my fate as Dragonborn. And with the Aldmeri Dominion pushing at us, I fear for the Empire's future."

Rikke looked grim. "So do we, Auxiliary, so do we." Then she looked thoughtful. "We will probably be working closely together, so you deserve to know a bit more about me.

"I've been a daughter of Skyrim all my life. I love this land and her people. So do all the Nords that serve the Empire. Ulfric, too, once. He wasn't always a self-serving ego-maniac. He fought in the Imperial army in the Great War against the Dominion. But Ulfric and his Stormcloaks are deluding themselves. If there's any hope of a long term victory against the Dominion, it's in the Empire. The rebels are only inflaming the tension and weakening the Empire by distracting it from its ultimate aim."

"Then we see it the same way, though you put it more eloquently than I did."

The General laughed, as if at a sudden thought. "I wish I could see Ulfric Stormcloak's face when he hears who and what you are, Auxiliary. "I'm sure he will be absolutely furious."

Rikke clearly agreed. "There's a tiny chance it'll bring Ulfric to his senses, but I fear he's in too far to stop now. Likely only his death, or the overthrow of the Jarls supporting him, will end this. Either way, there's going to be a lot of blood spilled."

She shrugged. "We'll just have to see. In the meantime, get your armor from Balimund. Out the arch, and go left . As for our mission, Ulfric's right-hand man, Galmar Stonefist, has located what he believes is the final resting place of the Jagged Crown. We're going to make sure he doesn't get his hands on it. The rest of my men are already assembling outside Korvanjund. I'll meet you there as soon as I finish up here."

"Yes, Legate." Yssha and Marcurio found the smith, and she selected the light version of Imperial armor. Balimund grumbled that he didn't have anything small enough for her, since he was accustomed to fitting men, and Nords at that, but when she assured him all she needed was gauntlets, boots, and a helmet, he was able to find close approximations. He even had the forethought to make holes in the helmet for her ears, which she appreciated; she hated having them held down, which also seriously affected her ability to hear.

When that was done, she studied her map. Korvanjund was northeast of Whiterun, so she could teleport there, and probably beat Rikke. As soon as they got far enough outside of Solitude to be out of sight, she did so, immediately arriving in Breezehome. They descended the steps into the living area, to see Lydia reading near the firepit.

"Lydia?" she called softly, trying not to startle her housecarl.

Lydia alerted immediately, turning and smiling. "My Thane! Welcome home."

"Thank you." Yssha returned the smile, hoping Lydia was learning to read Khajiit body language. "How are you doing?"

"If I may be blunt?"

"Of course, but let me guess. You are bored and wish some action."

Lydia nodded. "Correct in one. I feel like I'm skimping a large part of my duty, as well. I'm supposed to protect you!"

"I will offer you that opportunity," Yssha said slowly. "I stress, as firmly as possible, that I do not wish you to act against your conscience in deciding whether to go or not."

Lydia studied her for a moment. "The cuirass Jarl Balgruuf gave you, but your other armor's Imperial. Huh. You're going against Stormcloaks."

Yssha nodded. "I have joined the Legion as an auxiliary, and am on a mission to help recover an item from Korvanjund. We will undoubtedly have to fight Stormcloaks in the process."

"I accepted this might happen, and Whiterun is officially neutral," Lydia said. Then she flashed a smile. "I have the unique - so far, anyway - honor of being housecarl to the Dragonborn, who is here to save Skyrim, and maybe all of Tamriel. It will be my honor to accompany you, my Thane!"

Yssha purred. "Very well. Prepare yourself, then. We leave after a meal - where would you recommend?"

"Both the Bannered Mare and the Drunken Huntsman have good food, but if you're in a hurry, the Drunken Huntsman is almost across the street."

"Not a terrible hurry, but we should not waste time, either. So we will meet you there. What should I order for you?"

Lydia shrugged. "Whatever they have ready, and a mead, please." She headed up the stairs, looking eager.

Yssha chuckled. "Let us go, then."

* * *

A few hours later, the three found the group of Imperial soldiers preparing for the assault. To Yssha's surprise - at least until she saw the horse tethered nearby - Rikke was already there, and talking to a soldier.

"What's the situation?"

"Stormcloaks were already camped out around the entrance when we got here. They don't know we're here yet, though."

"Well, that's something at least," Rikke said. Let's show these rebels what real soldiers look like."

Then she gave a brief pep talk, and they approached Korvanjund, surprising and killing the Stormcloaks outside, then she congratulated the troops, cautioning them not to keep counting on the element of surprise, because it wouldn't last. She went into stealth mode, with the rest following suit. "All right, let's move out," she said softly, leading the way inside.

Clearing the entryway of Stormcloaks didn't take long, and they continued after she posted two soldiers to keep watch for enemy reinforcements.

In the next room, she stopped, frowning. "I don't like the look of this. Perfect spot for an ambush. Ten to one they're just waiting for us on the other side."

"But there isn't any other way through, Legate," a soldier observed.

"Let's not jump to conclusions, soldier. The Legion always finds a way. I'd rather take a moment and look around than walk blindly into an ambush." She turned to Yssha. "Auxiliary, see if you can find another way through. We'll charge in to help as soon as we hear fighting. Try the level above, and hurry."

It didn't take long for the Yssha and the two with her to find a lever, which opened a door and let them ambush the ambushers. As promised, Rikke and the rest entered as soon as the fighting started.

Again, the battle was brief, if bloody, and by the end of it, Yssha was certain of something she'd noticed at the outside fight. She did not like fighting in large groups, because having more than one or two others along severely limited her ability to Shout; there was too much danger of injuring, or at least hampering, her fellow fighters.

As they prepared to move on, Rikke whispered, "Be careful, men. There's bound to be more up ahead."

But what they found this time was a dead Stormcloak and an equally-dead draugr. A discussion about the draugr showed that none of the Legionnaires knew what those were, and Yssha sighed, turning to Marcurio. "If you or I spot what looks like an Overlord or worse, we ignore the soldiers and other draugr, and concentrate on the boss. These men don't know what they're facing at all."

Marcurio nodded agreement, and cautioned Lydia. "Don't get between us and the boss, if we find one. We'll be using stronger spells, and maybe a Shout."

She nodded as Rikke opened the door and spoke. "And this must be the Hall of Stories."

"Oh ... I've heard of this," one soldier said. "These walls are supposed to show the history of the ancients who built this place."

"Too bad we can't read these carvings," another commented. "Who knows what secrets we'd uncover?"

Rikke chuckled briefly. "One thing at a time, soldier. Focus on our primary mission. We're searching for the crown. Looks like we weren't the first ones here, either. Even if these carvings tell us where the crown is, I'm sure we're going to have to find a way through this door."

She looked at Yssha. "See what you can figure out, Auxiliary. I'm going to check out these carvings over here. Let me know if you find something."

She moved to study the carvings, as promised, while Yssha and her two looked around. She and Marcurio, recognizing the puzzle door at the far end, knew what they were looking for, and Yssha gave a purr when she found an ebony claw near the body of a dead Stormcloak. "Legate!" she called, holding it up. "We have the key."

Rikke joined them, looking puzzled. "Key? It looks like a stone claw. I assume you know how to use it."

Yssha nodded, turning the claw over to look at the symbols. "Fox-Moth-Dragon," she murmured. then set the rings to those positions, inserted the claw, and turned. After a brief wait, the door sank into the floor, just like the one at Bleak Falls Barrow.

"Good job!" Rikke exclaimed. "All right, everyone! Keep your guard up. Let's move out!"

Another dead-end faced them. Again, Rikke sent Yssha and her team out to see if they could find a way through: "All right, Legionnaires! Spread out and see what we've got. Auxiliary, do what you do best. See if you can find some way to get that gate open."

This time it was Lydia who found the lever, and pulled it when Yssha nodded. The clank of coffins breaking open was familiar to her and Marcurio. Yssha let out a brief yowl. "More draugr - get back, and try to get ahead of the soldiers when the draugr are finished off."

She approached Rikke when the draugr were down, and the Legate was about to open the door. "By your leave, Legate?"

Rikke looked annoyed, but replied politely. "Yes, Auxiliary?"

"Marcurio is a combat mage, and I have some competence with Destruction spells, as well as my ability to Shout. Since we have no other battlemages along, I think we should take the lead."

Rikke didn't hesitate. "Sound tactics. Go ahead; we'll give you half a minute until we follow."

"Thank you." Yssha cat-grinned. That should give them time to find, and perhaps even destroy, the chief draugr, with no one in the way.

She and her team entered, to the sound of coffins opening, but she and Marcurio spotted the draugr on the throne almost immediately. It was still dormant - they weren't quite in range to awaken it, perhaps - so she cast Flame while Marcurio sent lightning bolts to strike it.

That woke it up, and it charged with a scream, which she met with "Fus ... Ro Dah!", shoving it back against the throne, until she and Lydia could cut it down physically while Marcurio kept up the magical battering.

When it went down, she realized it must have taken longer than she'd thought, because the sounds of battle surrounded her. She searched the remains, taking what it held, including a crown that might be what they had come for, and rejoined the battle.

Eventually, things slowed down enough for her to begin exploring around and behind the stone throne. A chest of loot, of course; those were becoming routine, to the point she was expecting to find them - and then, at the far end of the room, a Word Wall! She approached, wondering what she would learn this time.

A blue glow emerging from part of the carving ... Tiid. Time ... yes, time. What the shout meant, or what it would do, were still mysteries, but she had another dragon word, and one of Power.

When she re-emerged into the now-still area in front of the throne, Hadvar was there, grinning at her. "Heyla, Dragonborn - good greetings! I'm glad we're both alive to see this."

"As am I," Yssha responded. "I am glad you got to Solitude ahead of me, as well - it saved me much explanation."

Hadvar laughed. "Well, I only had to take a carriage back, once I got to Whiterun. From what I hear, you had to make a few side trips." He grimaced. "Had a few problems myself, like a bandit attack and the carriage losing a wheel, though. Anyway, it's good to see you again."

Rikke approached, then. "Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but our mission is almost accomplished, and I'd like to finish it up."

She turned to Yssha, this time with a wide smile. "Take that crown back to Solitude, soldier. We'll stay here and see if we can find anything else that could be of use."

"Yes, Legate." Yssha, Marcurio, and Lydia looked around until they found the "back way out", and left.


	12. Message to Whiterun

.

Chapter 12 - Message to Whiterun

As usual, General Tullius was in the Castle Dour maproom. When she handed him the Jagged Crown, he looked mildly surprised. "Excellent work, soldier," he said. "I have to admit, I had my doubts it even existed. Did you run into any any trouble?"

"The Stormcloaks got there first, unfortunately."

"Yes. Well, I didn't respond as quickly to the Legate's suggestion as perhaps I should have. But at least we ended up with the damn crown. I'll get the full report from Rikke."

He paused briefly, then went to another subject. "Now then ... I need someone I can trust to deliver a message of great import to Jarl Baalgruf of Whiterun Hold. We have it on good authority that Ulfric has raised enough men to attack the city of Whiterun. The Jarl, however, refuses the Legion's support. This missive should convince him. Be aware, soldier, these documents contain sensitive intelligence for the Jarl's eyes only."

"Yes, sir. I will make sure of that." Yssha took the packet of documents and left, teleporting when they were out of sight.

Back in Breezehome, Yssha told Lydia to get some rest. The housecarl looked reluctant, but didn't object, except to say, "What about you and Marcurio? You must be as tired as I am."

"We are, but this seems to be a matter of some urgency, so I, at least, must go to Jarl Balgruuf as soon as I can. It is up to Marcurio whether he remains here or accompanies me."

"I'll go along," Marcurio said. "This shouldn't take long, so we can rest afterward."

"Then I'll get dinner ready while you're gone," Lydia said.

"We will look forward to it," Yssha said as they left. When they were outside, she sighed. "I like Lydia, and I know she gets bored staying at Breezehome, but I am less than sure that permanently traveling with someone who cannot use at least Healing on herself would be wise."

Marcurio nodded. "We can Heal her, but if we're in combat ourselves, we may not be able to get to her in time. She's good, but all of us picked up at least minor wounds, and - what was it, five? - of the soldiers got killed. That could've happenened to her, too, especially in that last battle."

"I know. Much as I hate to disappoint her, I think I shall ask her to remain here and handle the mercantile aspects of our expeditions."

"That's probably for the best," Marcurio agreed. "Maybe take her along on a bandit hunt occasionally, after the war's over and you've done whatever you have to about Alduin."

Yssha nodded, and the rest of tthe walk to Dragonsreach was silent. Inside, no one challenged her when she approached the Jarl.

He smiled, waving her forward. "Welcome back, Dragonborn. What do you need?"

She bowed, holding out the document packet. "I have an important message for you from General Tullius, my Jarl."

"No doubt asking to garrison his men in my castle again. How many times must I deny him? Well? Out with it."

"I believe so, my Jarl," Yssha said. "He has information that Ulfric is planning to attack Whiterun. I am sure the details are in this."

He accepted the packet, opened it, and read through what it contained, starting to frown, then calling his steward over. "Proventus, what do you make of all this? If Ulfric were to attack Whiterun..."

"As in all things, Lord, caution... I urge us to wait and see."

"Prey waits," Irileth put in.

"I'm of a mind with Irileth," Balgruuf said. "It's time to act."

Proventus looked dubious. "You plan to march on Windhelm?"

"I'm not a fool, Proventus. I mean it's time to challenge Ulfric to face me as a man, or to declare his intentions."

"He'll do no such thing!" Proventus protested.

"He was rather straight forward with Torygg," Irileth said drily.

Proventus shook his head. "Torygg? He simply walked up to the boy and murdered him!"

"That 'boy' was High King of Skyrim," Irileth said.

"I'm not the High King," Balgruuf said, "but neither am I a boy. If Ulfric wants to challenge my rule in the old way, let him. Though I suspect he'll prefer to send his 'Stormcloaks' to do it for him."

Irileth nodded. "True. He's already proven his personal strength. Now he seeks to prove his army's."

"Then might I urge you to consider General Tullius's request?" Proventus suggested. "I mean, if you are bent on offending Jarl Ulfric ... "

"Ulfric is the one who has offended," Irileth pointed out. "But Proventus has a point. Ulfric has made it clear. In his mind, to refuse his claim is to side with the Empire."

"And what harm is there in letting a few legionnaires die in place of your own men?" Proventus added.

"It seems cowardly," Balgruuf said.

"Was it cowardly then to accept the White-Gold Concordat?" Irileth asked.

"This again!" Balgruuf snapped. "That was different. Was I given a chance to object to the terms of the treaty? No. The Jarls weren't asked. We were told. And we had to like it."

"The chests of gold didn't hurt," Proventus said.

"Dammit! This isn't about gold!" Balgruuf said indignantly.

"It's time to decide," Irileth said firmly.

"Lord, wait. Let us see if Ulfric is serious," Proventus said.

"Oh, he's serious,'" Balgruuf said. "But so am I."

Irileth sighed. "Finally."

When that discussion was over, Balgruuf turned to Yssha. "A favor, if you would, Dragonborn?"

"What is it, my Jarl?"

"I have a message for you to deliver to our friend, the esteemed Jarl of Windhelm. Deliver this axe to Ulfric Stormcloak."

Yssha felt blank. "An axe?"

Balgruuf nodded. "I forget how recently you got to Skyrim. Yes. Give the man my axe. If he returns it to you it means we have business to settle. If he keeps it, then we are at peace."

"I would be glad to deliver your message, my Jarl. But will I even be allowed into Windhelm? I understand he keeps both Argonians and Khajiit out."

Balgruuf scowled. "He had best not try. You are Thane of Whiterun and Dragonborn. That information should have reached Windhelm by now. They may be reluctant, but I doubt they will refuse you outright. Ulfric is a dangerous and bloodthirsty man, but he is not stupid, and he's also a Nord who honors our traditions. Then get back here. Because if Ulfric isn't bluffing, I'll need every able body to defend Whiterun."

"I understand, my Jarl. I will leave at daybreak."

"Good, good." Then Balgruuf turned to his steward. "Proventus. Bring me my pen. And the good parchment."

"Are we writing a letter, Lord?"

"Yes, to General Tullius. I need to make a few things clear before I accept these Legionnaires of his."

Back home, they ate while Yssha did some serious thinking. When they were done and settled around the firepit with ale, she turned to Lydia. "I have to go to Windhelm in the morning. I have never been there, so it will probably take most of a day by carriage. I would like you to have Belethor send a team of Marcurio's porters to Korvanjund, then ... I am taking Balgruuf''s axe to Ulfric Stormcloak. You had best prepare for whatever might happen should I return with it."

"War," Lydia said grimly. "I would be most useful as part of the Guard again, after I get that team on its way. If you permit, of course."

"Certainly," Yssha said. "Do as you see fit. I know you are sworn to me, but this is your home, and I would not deny you the freedom to do what you think best to defend it. Especially when I must be elsewhere."

"Thank you, my Thane." Lydia smiled. "I think I was fortunate when the Jarl appointed me as your housecarl."

Yssha purred. "I am glad you think so. Even though I task you with things I would normally do for myself."

"That doesn't bother me," Lydia said. "What now?"

"I plan to study the dovahzul - dragon language - books the Greybeards let me borrow, so you and Marcurio might as well enjoy yourselves - perhaps visit the Bannered Mare, or whatever else you like."

The next morning, on the way down to the stables, Yssha stopped and turned to Marcurio. "Dearest one ... "

"Yes, love?" Marcurio looked curious.

"If Ulfric decides on war, how soon is he likely to move against Whiterun?"

"Gods, what a question!" He thought for a moment. "From what I've learned about Nords, as quickly as he can, probably start things in motion the minute you leave. Why?"

"Because in that case, I think we should take care of a few other things before seeing him, to give General Tullius's soldiers time to establish their garrison." She grimaced. "Like the Goldenglow Estate job, and perhaps talking to that Delphine again, though I would really prefer not to."

"That makes sense," Marcurio agreed. "Which first?"

"The Goldenglow Estate first, I think," Yssha replied. "So, on to Riften. Give me your hand, and we will be on our way."


	13. Loud and Clear

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Chapter 13 - Loud and Clear

They appeared at the tumbled tower outside Riften, checked to be sure they hadn't been seen, and scrambled down to the road. "Next time you see your greats-grandmother," Marcurio said with a grin, "thank her for me for teaching you that spell. It saves an awful lot of time and bad weather getting from place to place!"

Yssha chuckled. "I shall. But I hope that the next time I see her, you will be with me and can tell her yourself. Not that I know when that will be; I haven't the magica to teleport as far as Cyrodiil, and she has - to the best of my knowledge - never been to Skyrim."

As they walked toward Riften's main gate, Yssha asked, "Is there someplace we can rent a small boat? With the lake, I would assume so, but I do not know."

"Yes - Carl Strong-Arm has a place that'll rent you anything from a rowboat to a cargo barge. I suppose we're going to want a rowboat or skiff?"

"You suppose correctly, love. I would say to rent it now, for a full day, then head out to Goldenglow after dark. We may have to wait for daybreak to do much, but we are much less likely to be seen approaching. The moon phases will make it bright enough for me to see, but dim enough that sentries are unlikely to see us."

"Unless they're Khajiit as well, which I very much doubt," Malcurio said. "Downhill, then right on a path to the lake."

With the boat rented and ready, Yssha led the way back to town. The gate guard's reaction was far different from her first visit. "Dragonborn! You honor Riften with your presence. How may I help you?"

Yssha cat-grinned. "Thank you. If I may go in, that is all I need at the moment."

"Of course." The guard opened the gate, and saluted as she passed.

This time, because she had time to kill before dark, Yssha chatted with several people, accepting tasks from a few of them but cautioning them it might be a while before she could accomplish them. She also got some training from the local blacksmith, promising to fetch some fire salts for his forge, before heading to the Temple of Mara.

Maramal greeted them when they entered. "It's good to see you again, my children. How is married life agreeing with you?"

"Wonderfully," Yssha said with a purr. "I have never been happier."

When Marcurio agreed, Maramar beamed. "That is marvelous to hear. If you wish to spread that love at any time, the two of you should see my wife, Dinya Balu. Not that I expect you to have the opportunity anytime soon, given the task Akatosh has given you."

Yssha bowed. "That is true, but if I can spread the happiness I have had with Marcuio, I will certainly help, once Alduin is vanquished. If I survive."

"You will be in our prayers, Dragonborn. And we will urge others to pray for you, as well."

Yssha bowed. "That is appreciated by this one, Holy Brother. And she wishes to make another donation, having learned about your many charities within this unfortunate city."

Maramar looked surprised, but nodded, and looked surprised again at the weight of the coin purse she handed him. "You are most generous, Dragonborn."

She cat-grinned. "That is not difficult, when much of it comes from those I must fight. And I was taught early in life to honor all of the Nine."

Maramal nodded. "I understand, but be careful of calling on Lord Talos in public."

Yssha sighed. "Yes, I know. I am cautious, but I cannot deny any of the gods."

Maramal bowed, smiling. "Mara's blessings on you, Lady Dragonborn."

Yssha returned the bow, then left the temple, going into the graveyard where the secret entrance to the Thieves' Guild was located. She pushed the button that moved the slab aside, and descended to the boarded entrance to the Cistern. Once inside, she traded greetings with her guild-fellows, going to the middle of the Cistern arches and left toward the entrance to the Ragged Flagon.

Almost as soon as they entered, Brynjolf approached her, his expression ... well, Yssha couldn't quite define it. Maybe puzzlement or confusion was closest, but neither was exact. "I am sorry," she said. "I have not yet had time to do any of the jobs I have been assigned, though I am planning to carry out the Goldenglow one tonight and possibly tomorrow."

He just stared at her blankly for a moment, then nodded, chuckling. "Aye, lass, we heard. For a big Nord hero, ye're a tiny little thing, but at least ye have light hair. Mostly."

His reaction startled her so much she almost choked. "I am sorry not to meet your expectations," she managed to say. "When I was here first, I had no idea - "

"Nay, of course not." Brynjolf patted the air, as if to reassure her. "'Tis just funny to think of the mighty Dragonborn as either Khajiit or thief." He paused. "Does change your assignments, though. The Goldenglow job is still a go, but except for a few special missions, maybe, Mercer and I both think it best you not do any jobs in cities. You're easy to identify, with that coloring, and being the Dragonborn makes everyone _notice_ you, even if they don't say anything. So none of the jobs for Vex or Delvin. People start connecting the Dragonborn in town with thefts, and it's bad for both you an' the Guild both. Targets of opportunity, outside the main holds, have fun, as long as you can be reasonably sure you won't be caught. Okay?"

That was actually a relief, Yssha realized, after a moment's thought. She nodded. "I fear I will have to fit even special jobs around my responsibilities as Dragonborn, but I will do as many as I can, as quickly as I am able."

"We figured that, lass." Brynjolf grinned. "Delvin was disappointed, though - he had a Bedlam job lined up in Markarth that you'd probably have loved. The Treasury building."

Bedlam - if she remembered her briefing correctly, that was the one where she got to keep all the loot for herself. "Unfortunate I will have to forgo it, then."

"Don't look so disappointed, lass! We'll keep you busy enough. Despite old Delvin's theory that we're cursed, I'm sure we can recover our influence, get fences in all the main holds again, rebuild our reputation - chaos, even get merchants to set up shop here again."

"I shall do my best to assist, of course - for me, timing is the only problem."

"That's a good lass - er, Dragonborn - um." Brynjolf looked confused. "Er, just what should we call you?"

"Here? 'Yssha', or 'lass,' is just fine. Topside, I suppose whatever the usual reference is." Yssha shrugged. "Just avoid Stormcrown or Talos, please. Those, despite the Greybeards, I find ... sacrilegious."

"I understand that." Brynjolf was completely serious when he said that, she was sure. "The usual will probably be some variant on Dragonborn, or Ysmir."

Yssha sighed. "Those I can accept - must accept, actually. I never thought to receive Greats-Grandmother's level of acclaim, especially before I have actually done anything substantive, but it seems the Greybeards have left me no choice."

"Hey, Yssha!"

She turned, to see the owner/bartender of the Ragged Flagon smiling at her from behind the bar. "Yes, Vekel?"

"Come on over. You and your man get one on the house. Whatcha want?"

"An ale would be nice." She glanced at Brynjolf, who grinned and waved them toward the bar, so she and Marcurio seated themselves on stools. Moments later, each of them had a brimming mug of ale. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, lass." Vekel grinned. "Since you're restricted to surreptitious hunts, might you be willing to look for some books for me?"

Yssha cocked her head. "Tell me more, and we shall see."

Vekel nodded. "Sure. I have a buyer with, shall we say, a very odd taste in literature looking for some particular books. I'm told they're the ravings of a madman ... a wizard named Arondil and his peculiar cravings. It's said to be spread across four volumes and very hard to come by. My client is offering quite a reward for them, which I'd split with you."

Yssha frowned, her ears going back. "Do you know they exist? I would prefer not to chase a rumor."

"A clue, not proof," Vekel admitted. "Recently, a woman was found ... naked and shivering along the road to Dawnstar. The only information the guard could get from her were tales of strange experiments and Arondil scribbling in his journals."

"Do you know anything about Arondil himself?"

Vekel shook his head. "Only rumors. He used to have a home in Dawnstar until they burned it down. The people say he was doing unspeakable experiments on reanimation ... rituals only a necromancer would perform. After he made for Yngvild's ice caves, he was never heard from again."

"Ah." Yssha nodded. "All right, subject to the limitations I mentioned to Brynjolf, of course. I do not know when I will be able to do it."

"Then we have a deal," Vekel said with a grin.

When they finished their drinks, Vex called them over. "If you don't mind a couple of pointers, I'm sure Brynjolf or Mercer told you I tried to do that Goldenglow job not too long ago." She grimaced. "I'm a damn good infiltrator, and I can hold my own in a fight, but they've got so many mercs that place's probably as secure as the Imperial Palace itself. I barely got out alive. But I'm no mage, and both of you are, so you may actually make it."

She grabbed a piece of paper and some charcoal, then began sketching a map. "This is the main island, with the estate house. Dock here, and over here's how I got in - the sewer." She paused, laughing at the expression on Yssha's face. "Yeah, it's nasty - even includes skeevers. But it's sheltered, and gets you directly into the house. Up here's the northern island, where the beehives are, connected to the main island by a rope bridge. Both islands have steep sides, which is why I recommended the sewer, but I'm pretty sure I saw a spot on the north island where you could make it up if you don't mind starting in the open."

"Thank you. We appreciate the help," Yssha said, grimacing again. "Much as I dislike the sewer option - and I truly hate skeevers, even more than those ridiculously large spiders - it is tactically sounder, so we shall use that."

"Those damn overgrown rats - of course you'd hate them." Vex cocked her head thoughtfully. "I don't know what it is about you, Dragonborn. You're young, probably not much more that a wet-behind-the-ears - "

She was interrupted by a whoop of laughter from Marcurio, who looked at Yssha with a pleading can-I-tell-them expression.

Yssha sighed. "Go ahead. It really is not a secret, I suppose, and they would find out eventually. Though Brynjolf may have already told them."

He grinned at her, then turned his attention to Vex. "Well, if he didn't, my wife is a greats-granddaughter of Ysshaya, Hero of Kvetch, Champion of Cyrodil, and so on, who oversaw her training, and she was fostered by the Knights of the Nine. She's hardly wet behind the ears!"

That got Brynjolf a number of accusatory glares, but he only shrugged. "Mercer and I figured to let her tell you when she was ready, if ever. I'm just as glad it's out in the open, at least inside the Guild."

"I guess not," Vex said ruefully. Then she chuckled. "Not a Knight herself, obviously, since they're cloistered and don't marry. But it's good to know she can take care of herself."

"I have much to learn, in many fields," Yssha pointed out. "I know combat, both individual and group. I know some spells, some stealth, some alchemy, some smithing - but I am expert in none. My lockpicking is weak, pickpocketing skill almost nonexistent, and my archery ... well, let us just say I can usually hit the target butt. Somewhere. I normally prefer a mace in one hand and a spell in the other."

"Honesty and self-evaluation high," Vex said, after a moment. "That gets you big points with me at least, my young not-Knight. I'm the Lockpicking trainer here; I'll give you a couple free lessons just for admitting all that."

Yssha bowed. "I thank you for that, as well. It seems I did better than I thought, following Greats-Grandmother's advice to come here."

"Yeah, yeah. Now go get some rest, if you may be up all night. Unless you can do without sleep!"

"Neither of us can," Yssha said with a purr. "If someone will wake us after full night has fallen, I would appreciate it."

* * *

As they sculled their way closer to the main island, Yssha's nose told her they would have no trouble finding the sewer entrance. They did so shortly after mooring their rental boat to one of the dock supports, and Yssha took a deep breath - which she immediately regretted - before opening the sewer itself.

It was every bit as noxious as she'd expected, but for some reason not as dark; someone had put up torches every so often. There were the promised skeevers, of course, which were annoying but not a real problem. Finally they reached a ladder which took them to the surface again, near a locked door. She gave up on that after breaking five lockpicks, and moved carefully around the house, hoping to find either an easier lock or a door that wasn't locked at all.

To her mixed amusement and disgust, that was the front door, totally unlocked. Cautious of the mercenaries Vex had mentioned, they sneaked in, exploring the first floor carefully. The mercenaries were easy enough to avoid, since they had no reason to be quiet and Marcurio's Detect Life spells were as good as her ears and nose in detecting them in plenty of time to avoid them. The floor plan was more than a little confusing; she had to use the slow but reliable follow-one-wall technique until they came to a decision point: stairs leading up, and a gate probably leading down.

She looked at Marcurio, pointing up and down, to see if he had any preference. He shrugged, so she decided to go up.

Unfortunately, as soon as they got upstairs, a pair of patrolling mercenaries came around a corner, saw them, and raised the alarm. They didn't last long, but reinforcements showed up almost immediately. During that fight, Yssha almost regretted her decision to sneak past the mercenaries rather than killing them as she went, but most mercenaries weren't criminals, and she wasn't a murderer. With any luck at all, this was a roving backup unit, and most were on fixed stations or patrols ...

At least no one else showed up when the second group was dead. She and Marcurio went through the usual healing and looting, then continued searching, until they found an Altmer in fine clothes crouching in a bedroom.

When they neared, he swore, then said, "Worthless mercenaries. I didn't think Maven or Mercer would allow me to get away with this, but I had little choice."

"Give me the key to your safe," Yssha said, "and we will let you be. Although we will have to tie you up, you will not be harmed."

At that, the Altmer grew frantic. "No! I'm not about to let you ruin everything I've worked so hard for!" He uncoiled and lunged at her, his dagger drawn.

Regretfully, she used her mace to block it, then to finish him. Her search revealed the key and some minor loot, then she sighed.

"Is something wrong, love?" Marcurio asked.

"Not really, I suppose. It is just ... " She shook her head. "I dislike killing someone stupid enough to attack me, in armor and wielding a mace, while unarmored and armed with only a dagger. I know doing anything else is unwise, but I still dislike it." She shook herself as if trying to dry her fur. "We must continue. Finish exploring this floor, then back down and check the gate."

The rest of the house exploration was ... not exactly boring, but repetitive. Sneaking past mercenaries, exploring their way down into the sub-basement - where they were confronted again, by another pair of the mercs, briefly - and they finally found Arengoth's safe, opened it with his key, and got the bill of sale, plus a bit of loot.

"That is half of it," Yssha said with a sigh, "Now we need to go outside, to the other island, and burn exactly three beehives."

Back through the house, avoiding the mercenaries again, until they exited and, still in stealth mode, made their way toward the rope bridge to the northern island. Yssha found herself hoping this wouldn't be typical of the jobs the Guild gave her. While she couldn't exactly call it boring, and it definitely gave her practice sneaking, it was tedious. All in all, she thought, she preferred the Bleak Falls Barrow expedition. At least there, she hadn't had to worry about leaving active enemies behind them!

It was still dark, though from the moons' positions it would be daylight in an hour or so. She didn't want to wait till the outside mercenaries could see beyond the pools of light their torches threw, so she led Marcurio past them and across the rope bridge. They crept toward the end of the line of beehives.

"Ready?" she asked. Fighting at night was really bad, so she could only hope the two of them could take advantage of the darkness even with three hives blazing. At least the hives weren't too spread out, just far enough to keep fire from leaping from one to another, so it wouldn't take long to accomplish this part of their objective.

"Ready," Marcurio agreed, casting three Flame spells in rapid succession. Once both of them were sure the fires were going well, Yssha took his hand and they teleported to their Riften locale. Not long afterward, they were back at the Thieves Guild, passing through the Cistern to get to the Flagon and Brynjolf.

He congratulated her on a job well done, paid her, and told her to find Maven Black-Briar, who had asked for her by name. That was what she was planning to do when she and Marcurio left the Guild, but her plans changed shortly after she reached the marketplace and a courier found her.

The letter he handed her was an unexpected but welcome invitation to visit Falkreath!

Yssha of Ysshaya,

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Siddgeir, and I have the honor to be the Jarl of the proud and ancient city of Falkreath.

The fame of your exploits across Skyrim has brought you to my attention. If you are interested in becoming a Thane of Falkreath hold, I invite you to speak to me the next time you are in my city. Aside from the honor that accrues to the title, my thanes are entitled to a personal housecarl. I also can tell you privately that a choice parcel of land in Falkreath would be available for your purchase should your services prove useful to me.

I look forward to meeting you in person.

I remain,

Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath


	14. Destroy the Dark Brotherhood

**Author's Note: I had an unexpectedly good writing day today, so you get an extra chapter. Don't expect too many of these!**

* * *

Chapter 14 - Destroy the Dark Brotherhood

The next morning, after a stay at the Dead Man's Drink, the two went to Jarl Siddguir's longhouse and introduced themselves to his steward, Nenya. She immediately led them to the Jarl, who was slouched on his throne.

Siddgeir studied her for several seconds before he spoke. "Welcome to Falkreath, Dragonborn. I'm glad you saw fit to respond to my letter."

"I was planning to see you anyway," Yssha admitted. "Your letter made it happen earlier, that is all. I understand Falkreath Hold is the warmest in Skyrim, so your mention of a parcel of land interests me very much."

Siddgeir laughed. "I was hoping that would attract you, since Khajiit are known for liking their warmth. I daresay that trip to High Hrothgar was uncomfortable for you."

"It was indeed," Yssha said promptly. "Ah, what service may I do you, in order to purchase the land?"

Siddgeir laughed again. "Impatient, hmm? What you can do is kill the chief of the bandit gang at Cracked Tusk Keep. The cut they were giving me was good at first, but now it's time to clean things up."

Not because they were bandits preying on his folk, but because he wasn't getting enough money from them? Yssha disapproved of his motive, but all she said was, "I have no objection to killing bandits, my Jarl. And yes, I am impatient, so if I have your leave, we will depart immediately."

He waved idly. "Go ahead, then," he said, then turned his attention to a mug of something on a small table beside him.

Back outside, Yssha shook her head. "I like Balgruuf much better," she told Marcurio. "He cares for his people's interests before his own."

Marcurio nodded. "Me, too. I'd heard Siddgeir was a greedy one, as well as being lazy, but I wouldn't have thought any Jarl would be that blatant about it."

"Well, we know his character now, and once we receive our reward, perhaps we can avoid visiting him again." Yssha led them out of town, then west toward Cracked Tusk Keep. They'd been walking for less than an hour when she caught a glimpse of something artificial in the face of a cliff.

Intrigued, she went nearer, until she was close enough to see it clearly - then she gestured to Marcurio for stealth and moved into the woods.

"What was that all about?" Marcurio asked when they straightened.

"From Greats-Grandmother's description, the door to a Dark Brotherhood sanctuary. I do not know if it is common knowledge, but she was their Listener in Cyrodiil for a time. She warned me not to get involved with them unless the opportunity arose to wipe a branch out. This may be such an opportunity."

Marcurio didn't object, just asked, "How do we get in?"

"We may not be able to," Yssha said. "But she told us the challenges and responses that were used in all the Cyrodiil sanctuaries. If this matches one of those, we have no problem. If it does not, I will have to guess, and unless I am very lucky, we will fail."

"Only one way to find out," Marcurio said, flexing his fingers. "Let's try not to alert them all at once, okay?"

"Agreed. We go into stealth mode as soon as we get in, assuming we do." She moved toward the door.

As she approached, it seemed to become alert in some way, and when she was within touching distance, it spoke. "What is the music of life?"

Good, she knew that one. Hoping the response was the same, Yssha said, "Silence, my brother."

"Welcome home," the door said, opening to admit them.

As planned, they went into stealth mode as soon as they were inside. This time, she decided, it would be best to take everything they wanted with them, since Greats-Grandmother had also recommended burning a sanctuary out, if at all possible.

She recognized the shrouded armor in the first room, again from descriptions. She grabbed all of that, then looked around. A book on a nearby table went in her pack, then she heard movement in the room to her left. She signaled Marcurio, then looked around the edge of the door. Two people in there, a woman on the bed, a man at a table by the fire, reading something. She slipped in cautiously, getting behind the man, and took care of him with a mace blow to the head. The sound alerted the woman, but Marcurio was ready for her, and she died of a fireball to the face - which kept her from screaming.

The only thing worth taking here was a peculiar gem in a box, where it seemed to be floating and rotating. A self-levitating gem had to be worth something, so she tucked it into her pack.

Down some stairs, she heard the soft chanting she'd learned meant a Word Wall, so she followed that, keeping an eye out for foes. "Krii" pushed into her - kill - at the same time she heard fighting behind her.

Two more here. They might be excellent assassins, she thought - if you could use that term - but in combat, they were almost helpless. She and Marcurio moved through the rest of the sanctuary, which was large but sparsely inhabited, making it easy to avoid more than one or two at a time. She hesitated once, at what looked like a child, but that one sprang at her, screaming and showing fangs. That settled things for her; that was a vampire, and probably a lot older than it looked.

Yssha briefly regretted not having a sword, since decapitation was the fastest way to deal with a vampire, but her mace and Flames did as good a job, even though it was slower.

Finally they made it to the end of the sanctuary and started back, setting everything on fire as they left, including a rather elaborate coffin that almost qualified as a sarcophagus. By the time they got outside, both of them were coughing from the smoke, and took time to catch their breaths.

Once they were breathing easily again, aided by healing spells, Marcurio asked, "Do you think that's the end of the Brotherhood?"

Yssha shrugged. "I have no idea. I certainly hope so, and I am positive we did them serious damage at the very least." She looked at the sun position. "We still have plenty of time to complete the Jarl's task, I think, unless you would rather return home for a rest."

"Nah," Marcurio said with a grin. "Let's get that plot of land, and hire some builders to get you a country home started."

Yssha leaned over to nuzzle him. "You are too kind to me, dearest. But as I told the Jarl, I am impatient for that, so I am glad we will go on."

With that, they were on their way again. Cracked Tusk Keep was another couple of hours away, but it was a pleasant walk, and they didn't encounter anything except a couple of wolves, which in this area were to be expected, and not a problem. Yssha kept hoping to encounter a dragon, both to unlock the three shouts she knew but didn't _**know**_, and to find scales and bones for armor, but she was disappointed.

They explored the approaches to Cracked Tusk Keep, deciding on a trapdoor on top of the southeast tower. Given that the bandit chief was probably at either the highest or lowest point of any given dungeon, this entrance gave them a fifty-fifty chance of taking care of the errand quickly, rather than having to fight all the way through the keep. Of course, if it worked, it would mean less money, but they were in pretty good shape financially, and could always come back later to clear the place out.

Once inside, they checked around, and found an Orsimer - orc, in common speech - counting money into a chest. Even though they were in stealth mode, when Marcurio made a misstep and his armor clinked, the orc whirled, drawing a sword. "Who's there?"

Neither of them answered, attacking instead. With two against one, it wasn't long before the orc was on the floor and they were gathering up his armor and weapons, as well as the chest's contents.

Yssha cat-grinned at her husband. "We were fortunate. Shall we return to Falkreath and report our success?"

"Yes, and we should probably report the destruction of the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary as well." Marcurio thought briefly. "Given the Jarl's connection to the bandits, though, I'd say not to him or his guards. Or to Riften's, since rumor has it Maven Black-Briar has Brotherhood connections."

"When we go to Whiterun, then," Yssha said. "I wonder if the General has his garrison there yet. While I am not looking forward to visiting Jarl Ulfric, I am also of the mind to get it over with."

Marcurio chuckled. "How about we stop by Breezehome to drop off extra weight, after we buy that land, then take a trip to Markarth to get you another teleport point if the garrison isn't in place yet?"

"I should speak to Maven, but ... that is a good point. I should also find teleport points throughout Skyrim. So we will use your plan." She held out her hand. "To Falkreath, then."

Jarl Siddgeir saw them as soon as they entered his longhouse, and waved them forward. "Well?"

"The bandit chief is dead," Yssha told him.

"Ah, very good." Siddgeir nodded. "You can buy that property now. And not to let Balgruuf have all the glory, by my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Falkreath. Rayya's your housecarl, and I'll tell the guards to leave you alone. Talk to Nenya about the land and whatever else you may need." As earlier, he waved her away and turned to his mug.

Yssha heard a sigh, and turned to see Nenya nearby. "You heard?"

"Of course, Dragonborn. The land, Lakeview, is five thousand septims, and includes the construction of a small house. I will see to that, if you wish, and the expansion into a full manor later, if you want more than what is essentially a cottage."

"I would appreciate that very much. Though I may have to delay the expansion, depending on the costs." She gave the steward the required amount, glad that her adventuring so far had been profitable. Though she would need to replenish her funds soon. Or maybe not quite yet, depending on Lydia's bargaining skills.

Nenya smiled. "Hardly a problem, Lady Dragonborn. I'll have construction started tomorrow, and whenever you want, we can discuss expansion."

"Thank you," Yssha said. "That is most kind of you."

"No more than my duty, Lady Dragonborn, and in this case, my pleasure."

Yssha purred briefly. "I am glad. If you will excuse me, I need to check on some things in Whiterun."

"Of course."

* * *

Author's Note: Yssha is not a murderer, so the game version of killing Grelod to be able to kill Astrid wasn't in character. Fortunately for my story, one of the radiant targets for Siddgeir's quest took her past the sanctuary. Mjoll will probably take care of Grelod, though I don't know yet if it will make it into this narrative.


	15. The Battle for Whiterun

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Chapter 15 - The Battle for Whiterun

Back at Breezehome, which felt empty with Lydia returned to the Guard, Yssha turned to Marcurio. "I do not want to see Jarl Balgruuf again until I have spoken to Jarl Ulfric, but we need to know if General Tullius has his garrison established yet. And what to do about our ... episode with the Dark Brotherhood."

Marcurio gave her a kiss. "Let me check on both, dearling. It shouldn't take long."

"Then I shall prepare us some supper." She cat-grinned. "Just do not expect anything fancy. I was training for combat, not for being a housekeeper, so my cooking is rather basic."

Marcurio chuckled. "That's fine, since I'm no gourmet, and I think inn food is good cooking. I'll be back as soon as I have the information we need."

That took less than an hour, so Yssha's camp stew was still simmering over the firepit when he returned. "What did you learn?" she asked, handing him a mug of ale.

"The soldiers are here, but they'll need another day or so to be fully prepared," Marcurio replied. "And Irileth says we should report about the Dark Brotherhood to Commander Maro at the Penitus Oculatus post in Dragon Bridge. If we do that first, then go to Windhelm, Whiterun should be ready for the attack by the time we get back."

"Yes, since the garrison is here, Markarth will have to wait. But ... Penitus Oculatus," Yssha said thoughtfully. They had replaced the Blades as the Emperor's protectors and intelligence service after the Great War, and few people wanted anything to do with them. That included her, but if Irileth said he should be told, she would do so. "We will take a carriage to Dragon Bridge in the morning, then. It is too late today, I think."

* * *

It was easy to identify Commander Maro when they entered the small post, which was identifiable in turn by the Imperial banner outside. Yssha approached him and bowed politely. "Commander Maro. I am Yssha of Ysshaya. Housecarl Irileth recommended I tell you of something I did yesterday."

"Honored to meet you, Dragonborn," Maro said. "What is it she thinks I need to know?"

"I assume, being an intelligence as well as protective agency, that you know my background?"

"Of course, at least up to you taking a message from General Tullius to Jarl Balgruuf. It's good you chose to join the Legion. Now tell me, what happened yesterday?"

"On the way to kill a bandit chief for Jarl Siddgeir, Marcurio and I ran across what I recognized from my greats-grandmother's descriptions as a Dark Brotherhood sanctuary."

Maro nodded. "The one about two miles west of Falkreath. Yes, we know of it. We're keeping it under observation until we have enough information to plan an assault. Why?"

Yssha hesitated briefly, then said, "You will not have to. We were able to get in using a challenge-and-response I remembered from Greats-Grandmother's stories. Using stealth, we were able to eliminate them all, as she recommended. Then we burned everything inside."

Maro looked like someone had hit him with a club. "You did _what_?"

"Killed the assassins and destroyed their sanctuary," Yssha said patiently. "It was not particularly difficult. They were probably quite skilled at sneaking up on their victims and killing them surreptitiously, but their melee skills were quite limited."

Maro still looked disbelieving. "By all I hold holy... Can it be true? Have you actually done it?" Then he got himself under control. "This is a great day, Dragonborn. You have struck a blow against darkness that will not soon be forgotten!" He went to a desk, returning with a large coin purse. "Here. Considering the magnitude of your accomplishment, you deserve a generous reward."

"I did not do it for a reward, other than saving the lives of their potential victims, but I will accept it, with thanks." Yssha purred briefly, taking the purse.

"I'll make sure the Emperor himself hears of all you've accomplished," Maro promised. "You've made Skyrim a better place."

"I hope to continue doing so." Yssha purred again. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must deliver a message from Jarl Balgruuf to Jarl Ulfric."

"Don't let me hinder you," Maro said. "Just be careful in Windhelm."

"I have been warned," Yssha said, then she and Marcurio left.

Bjorlam was waiting, as promised, and they started for Windhelm.

Yssha was impressed at the size of Windhelm, which looked to her like it was as big as Solitude, with a wide causeway crossing what looked like a harbor. But it was nowhere near as hospitable looking, and the weather was definitely worse.

The guards patrolling the causeway essentially ignored them, but when they got to the city gates, one of the two guards there looked at her like she was something repulsive. "Your kind aren't welcome here, Khajiit. Get out."

"That's the Dragonborn, you idiot!" the other exclaimed, then turned to Yssha. "You have business in Windhelm, Lady?"

"Indeed," Yssha replied. "I am carrying a message from Jarl Balgruuf the Greater to Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak. May I enter?"

The guard nodded grudgingly, opening the gate. "Follow me. I'll take you to the Palace of Kings."

Yssha and Marcurio did so, following the guard through narrow streets, many of which had walls on both sides. That made Yssha glad for their escort; it would be easy to get lost here, with all the levels and undistinguished stone everywhere. When they arrived at what was obviously the Palace, the guard spoke again. "If you aren't sure you can find your way back out, ask a guard to escort you to the gate."

"I will, if we have any doubts," Yssha said. "Thank you for your assistance."

"You're welcome," the guard said, going back the way they had come.

Yssha and Marcurio entered the throne room, walking in on a discussion between Ulfric and what she assumed to be his second in command, Galmar.

"Balgruuf won't give us a straight answer," Galmar said.

"He's a true Nord," Ulfric said confidently. "He'll come around."

"Don't be so sure of that," Galmar retorted. "We've intercepted couriers from Solitude. The Empire's putting a great deal of pressure on Whiterun."

"And what would you have me do?" Ulfric asked.

"If he's not with us, he's against us."

"He knows that. They all know that."

"How long are you going to wait?" Galmar asked.

"You think I need to send Balgruuf a stronger message."

"If by message you mean shoving a sword through his gullet."

Ulfric chuckled. "Taking his city and leaving him in disgrace would make a more powerful statement, don't you think?"

"So we're ready to start this war in earnest, then?" Galmar asked.

"Soon." Then Ulfric noticed the visitors, and waved them forward. "Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin."

Yssha was glad she'd taken the time to learn - or remember - the dragon language. "Drem yol lok, Jarl Ulfric."

"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"I bring a message from Jarl Balgruuf the Greater." She extended Balgruuf's axe.

Ulfric sighed. "I feared he would react that way, especially with the Dragonborn joining the Legion. You're a brave woman, coming into my palace with such a message." Then he shrugged. "You may return it to him, and tell him we'll be seeing him soon."

Yssha bowed slightly in acknowledgement, then she and Marcurio left. She'd sent Bjorlam back to Whiterun, so as soon as they found a spot where no one could see them, she teleported them to Breezehome, and walked from there up to Dragonsreach. One of the guards near the throne directed them to the strategy room above, where Yssha saw Jarl Balgruuf and an Imperial Legate she hadn't met.

Silently, she approached Balgruuf and held out his axe.

"You've returned with my axe," he said. "I knew that would be his response. As soon as you left I sent word to General Tullius, who's been kind enough to lend us some of his troops and Legate Cipius here. Let Ulfric try to make it past our combined forces. I'll turn you back over to your Legion. Legate Cipius will have use for you. Gods be with us all."

"You're just back from Windhelm. Do you have any information about when the enemy will be here?" Legate Cipius asked her.

Yssha shook her head. "I fear not. Though Jarl Ulfric did say it would be soon."

"Well, the local Stormcloak camp is only a couple of hours away, but they aren't likely to attack at night, so let's say we have till dawn. We'll keep watch, of course, but I think we can let the troops sleep for a few hours. Just make sure everyone's in position by sunrise."

"Agreed," Balgruuf said. "Only a fool fights at night, and neither Ulfric nor his generals are fools. We'll be ready."

"Where do you want us, Legate?" Yssha asked. "Marcurio and I are both mages, as well as melee fighters. Plus I can Shout, though at the moment I have only one combat-useful thu'um."

"At the barricades, then. Join Legate Rikke at dawn - I understand you've worked with her before. Now go get some food and rest."

"Yes, Legate."

* * *

The next morning, she and Marcurio joined the Imperial soldiers and city guards at the barricades. Rikke was up on the drawbridge, where she could see anything coming, and she was keeping careful watch. Abruptly, the turned to the troops below her.

"This is it, men! This is an important day for the Empire and for the Legion. And for all of Skyrim. This is the day we send a message to Ulfric Stormcloak and the rebel Jarls who support him. But make no mistake. What we do here today, we do for Skyrim and her people. By cutting out the disease of this rebellion, we will make this country whole again! Ready now! Everyone, with me! For the Empire! For the Legion!"

The troops let out a hoarse cheer as Rikke drew her sword to engage the oncoming Stormcloaks. For the moment, Yssha and Marcurio stuck with magic, going high so they could target Stormcloaks by going over the heads of the friendlies.

As always, the battle started out organized, but quickly dissolved into individual and small-group combat. Any time she saw a small group of Stormcloaks, especially archers, she used Unrelenting Force to disrupt their aim, or sent Flame spells at individuals, with occasional pauses to heal the arrow wounds she was getting. From the corner of her eye, she saw Marcurio doing much the same, without the Shouting.

Below them, it was a confusion of screams, war cries, blood, dirt, and flashing weapons until Rikke yelled, "Fall back to the drawbridge - the barricades are down!"

Yssha and Marcurio had to descend, which meant going primarily into melee fighting with only the occasional spell. It became, if possible, even more confused as the defenders retreated, then retreated again, this time to the city gates. Here, they were able to hold, and cut down enough of the Stormcloaks that the survivors began to retreat, and finally the combat tapered down to a stop.

Yssha leaned against the city wall, catching her breath and healing some minor wounds while she checked her armor. She decided immediately that she needed something new and undamaged; what she had now was too battered to be worth repairing.

Then she saw Balgruuf climbing a ramp to the top of the wall, with soldiers gathering below him. She joined them, listening to his speech.

"Revel in your victory here today, even as the gods revel in your honor! They already sing of your valor and skill! The halls of Sovngarde are no doubt ringing with your praises! In defeating these Stormcloak traitors, you have proven the hollowness of their cause and the fullness of your hearts. The citizens of Whiterun are forever in your debt!

"But Ulfric will not stop here. No, he will continue to strike out against any true Nord who remains faithful to the Empire. He will continue to sow discord and chaos wherever he can. And so, we must each one of us, continue to fight this insurrection, lest our fallen brothers have died for naught! Lest our honor be lessened should we allow these bloodthirsty beasts to prowl our lands! Carry on men, my gratitude and blessings go with you! For Whiterun! For the Empire!"

When the crowd broke up, she went looking for Marcurio, since they'd gotten separated in the last retreat. Unwounded soldiers were doing what they could for the injured, laying out the dead, and generally cleaning up the battlefield. She helped with both where she could while carrying out her search, and healing where she had enough magic or a potion.

Then she heard a call. "Lady Dragonborn!"

She turned after she finished healing the soldier she was working on, to see a Whiterun guard waving at her. She turned and went over to him. "Yes?"

"I saw you searching. If it's your husband you're looking for, I saw him taking Lydia up to the Temple of Kynareth."

"Oh, gods!" If Lydia was hurt too badly for Marcurio to heal her, it had to be serious. "I need to check on her. I will be back if I can."

She moved through the crowds as quickly as she could, then into the Temple, where she looked around until she found Lydia, on a pallet on the floor, with Marcurio and a priestess working on her. "What is wrong?" she asked, not expecting an immediate reply.

Marcurio looked up. "Arrow to the left lung. It's not life-threatening any longer, but we don't know how much permanent damage there's going to be. Priestess Amren says she'll have to stay here at least two days, and it may be longer."

"May the Nine be with her," Yssha prayed. But there was nothing she could do here, and she might well get in the way, so she rose and left.


	16. The Battle's Aftermath

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Chapter 16 - The Battle's Aftermath

When Yssha went downstairs the next morning, she found Marcurio sitting by the firepit, nursing a mug of ale. "Good morning, love," she said. "Is there word of Lydia?"

Marcurio turned to face her. "Yes, but I'm afraid not good. I stayed most of the night, but she was still unconscious when I left, and by then Priestess Amren was of the opinion she'd never regain full lung function. Oh, probably enough for a fairly normal life, but only if she doesn't exert herself too much."

"Oblivion!" Yssha cursed, feeling guilty. "I did not want to take her on more dangerous adventures, but I also most certainly did not want her handicapped!"

"Don't blame yourself, love," Marcurio said softly. "If you must blame anyone, blame the Stormcloak archer who shot her. Or blame Lydia herself, for rejoining the Guards. But really, no one is to blame." He shrugged. "Unless you want to blame the one who started the war. But even he is far removed from any single person's injury or death."

Yssha sighed, but nodded. "You sound like Greats-Grandmother," she said. "I needed that. And I think you will like her, if you ever have the opportunity to meet. Did the priestess say when Lydia may have visitors?"

"This afternoon, maybe," Marcurio said. "Any particular reason?"

"Other than wishing to see her, and let her know we will bring her home as soon as we may, no. But if I cannot see her until afternoon, I was thinking of visiting Warmaiden's to see what she has affordable in the way of light armor. After yesterday's battle, what the Jarl and Beirand gave me is unusable and not worth repairing. What of yours?"

"Steel being tougher than leather, it's still pretty good, though at the rate we're going into combat, I'll be upgrading myself as soon as we can afford it. Can you check on prices when you talk to Adrianne?"

"Of course." Yssha purred affectionately. "You look worn out, love. Go to bed and get some sleep while I talk to Adrianne and find out what I am to do next."

"You know, that sounds like a wonderful idea." Marcurio drained his mug, stood up and stretched, then groaned. "We have any healing potions upstairs?"

"Righthand bedside table, top drawer." Yssha went over and licked his cheek. "Sleep well, beloved."

Since Breezehome was next door to Warmaiden's, Yssha didn't have to carry her ruined armor very far. Adrianne was at her workbench when Yssha dumped it on the ground. "What in Oblivion is that mess?"

"What I was wearing during yesterday's battle," Yssha said with a grimace. "It is no good for anything as it is, but maybe you can re-use parts for weapon grips, or something. I need new armor, obviously, so what do you have in light?

Adrianne studied her. "In your size? Not much, honestly. The cuirass is the hard part, since Nord child-sized armor will work for everything else, but ... hmm. Come inside the shop. I think I remember a piece that just might work."

Inside Warmaiden's, she rummaged under counters, then in a back room, finally emerging with a glass cuirass. "Here, try this on. I've had it for ages, but it's way too small for my usual customers, and nobody wants to pay much for armor a youngster would soon outgrow."

Since most of her customers were Nords, that was easy to believe. Yssha put it on, moved around enough to settle it into position, and smiled. "It is a bit loose, but I believe adjusting the shoulder and side straps would make it a good fit. How much?"

Adrianne grinned. "For something that's been sitting around unsalable for years? If I weren't in business, I'd give it to you. How does two hundred sound?"

"Sold," Yssha said. "Now, what do you have for the rest of a suit?"

What she ended up with was a mix. The lovely glass cuirass, elven boots and gauntlets, and a gilded elven helm, which Adrianne modified for her ears. The whole thing came out to six hundred septims. That left her with over two thousand, just from Commander Mero's reward.

"I would also like to re-outfit my husband, though his armor is not in as bad a shape as mine was." Yssha grimaced. "There are times I wish I could use heavy armor, but it is not really suitable to a Khajiiti physique or my combat style."

Adrianne laughed. "You're right. A Khajiit in heavy armor is ... less than at his best. But let's see what we can find for Marcurio. Fortunately, he's a more standard size." After some more looking, she found dwarven and orcish sets in his size.

Yssha winced when Adrianne quoted the price for the orcish, which would run the total price up to the full amount of the reward, but she nodded. "It is expensive, but I was taught very early that scrimping on armor is false economy. I will take the orcish."

"Considering that scrimping on armor or weapons can cost your life, I'd agree even if I didn't earn my living making and selling both," Adrianne said. "Here, let me give you a hand getting that stuff to your house."

On the short trip, Adrianne asked about Lydia. "We saw Marcurio carrying her to the Temple of Kynareth. How is she?"

"Not as well as I would like," Yssha replied. "She did not regain consciousness when I saw her yesterday, or even while Marcurio was watching over her through the night, but she should be awake when I visit this afternoon. She has not been maimed, but the priestess caring for her says it is likely she will have lasting damage."

Adrianne frowned. "That's too bad. Though if it keeps her from adventuring, I'm sure it would be a relief to her parents. And to Elrindir, at the Drunken Huntsman. He's been sweet on her for quite a while, and I think she feels the same way about him, but that's never stopped her from doing her duty, whatever it happens to be."

Yssha opened Breezehome's door, and they put Marcurio's new armor on the dining table, quietly, then Adrianne left, returning to her shop. Yssha adjusted the straps on her new cuirass, pleased with the way it fit when she did, then added the rest of her new armor and went to Dragonsreach to speak to one of the Legates for new orders.

The Jarl noticed her new armor immediately, and waved her over. "You fought well yesterday, my friend. I gather your armor was damaged?"

"Beyond repair, I am afraid. Fortunately, Adrianne Avenicci had a cuirass that would fit me. That is a problem here, considering how big most Nords are."

Balgruuf laughed. "Yes, I can understand that. Well, the ruined cuirass I gave you was enchanted, so see Farengar and tell him I want that one done, as well. Plus your husband's."

"I will, my Jarl, but right now, I am looking for one of the Legates. Perhaps I will have time between getting new orders and visiting Lydia at the Temple."

"Yes, I heard she'd been hurt. How is she?"

Yssha outlined what she knew, then said, "She seems proud of her position as my housecarl. Even if she can no longer fight, I hope you will not remove her from that job."

"Certainly not," Balgruuf said. "What I will do, if the priestess is correct, is make her your steward as well. Breezehome wouldn't normally rate one, as small as it is, but it may make her more content with her disability."

Yssha purred. "I thank you, my Jarl. She has been performing those duties already, but I believe chafing at them a bit - though she is too loyal to say anything. If it is official, she may be happier about that, as well."

"Consider it done, then," Balgruuf said with a smile. "Your Legates are both in the strategy room upstairs."

"By your leave, then?" At his nod, Yssha bowed and headed up the stairs, seeing both legates bending over a map table. They looked up when she entered, and Rikke waved her over. "Good work, soldier. And I'm sorry about your housecarl's injury, but you need to report to General Tullius as soon as you can for your next assignment."

"I would like to speak with Lydia first, then I should wait until Marcurio wakens. If that is permissible."

"Quite permissible, Dragonborn, if it can be connected in some way with that set of responsibilities." Rikke gave her a fleeting smile. "Do you maybe need to see the Greybeards for anything?"

"Yes, but I also need to prove my identity to a rather unpleasant woman in Riverwood, as she promises to tell me more about dragons."

Rikke nodded. "Dragons and Stormcloaks are pretty much equal enemies right now, but you're the only one who can kill dragons permanently, if I understand correctly. Others, if necessary, can fight Stormcloaks, even if you are a great asset. On my authority, see this woman before you report to the general."

"Yes, Legate." Yssha started to leave, but Legate Cipius called her back.

"You're not in Legion armor," he pointed out. "Why is that?"

Yssha sighed. "Because of my size, sir. Beirand had nothing small enough, and most of what I am wearing now was made for Nord children. You might say someone my size is simply not in the supply chain, here in Skyrim." She grimaced. "Plus, with respect, would you wish to face a dragon in Legion armor, or the strongest you could afford?"

Cipius laughed. "Good points, both of them. All right, forget I asked. Just stick with the strongest you can manage."

"Thank you, sir; I will." This time, Yssha was allowed to leave.

As the Jarl had suggested, she stopped by Farengar's laboratory to have her cuirass enchanted, with Fortify Health again. Then he asked an odd question. "How do you prefer to fight?"

"Hmm." Not quite sure what he meant, she said, "I use stealth, where possible. In melee, a mace in my right hand, a spell in my left."

"Give me your boots, gauntlets, and helmet, then. And your mace." He grinned at her expression. "I am still jealous of you for meeting that dragon without me, but I never did repay you for retrieving the Dragonstone for me, and I don't think the Jarl's reward was adequate for what you faced. Watch carefully; Enchanting will be useful for you."

When he was done, she had learned something more of Skyrim enchanting, and the rest of her armor, as well as the cuirass, was enchanted. The helmet with Waterbreathing, the boots with both Fortify Sneak and Muffle, the gauntlets with Fortify Lockpicking, and her mace with Fiery Soul Trap.

"That was ... most generous of you, Master Farengar. I do not know what to say."

Farengar smiled. "I couldn't do less for someone going into serious danger on my behalf, as well as that of the rest of Skyrim. And as I said, my payment for going into Bleak Falls Barrow. Use these in good health, Dragonborn."

She bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Master Enchanter."

That was quite a change from his earlier superior attitude, Yssha thought as she walked toward the Temple. A definite improvement, in her opinion.

When she entered the Temple, it was less crowded than the previous day, and she found Lydia on a bed instead of on the floor. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"As well as can be expected, my Thane," Lydia said softly. "Not much pain, thanks to the healing, but I still have trouble breathing, and I've been told that probably won't go away completely." She grimaced. "I'm sorry. I may not be able to do what I should, any more."

"What you should do now is get as well as your injuries allow," Yssha said firmly. "Jarl Balgruuf has promised he will not remove you as my housecarl, but you will have additional duties, becoming steward of Breezehome. I hope you do not object."

She saw tears appear in Lydia's eyes, and began to worry, but her housecarl smiled as well as she could. "No, my Thane. On the contrary, I'm honored. I think it was Marcurio who stopped my bleeding and brought me up here?" She paused to catch her breath. "Thank him for me, please."

"I will." Yssha took her housecarl's hand. "I must leave soon. Will you need assistance when you are able to return home?"

"Dragonborn ... always in and out," Lydia said, with a weak grin. "Probably so, at least for a day or two, if only to get up here for therapy."

"I will see to it. I am sure Adrianne will be willing to look in on you from time to time, and Elrindir might be willing to do so as well, since the Drunken Huntsman is close to Breezehome, and Adrianne suggested you might enjoy his company."

"She ... was right." Lydia managed a smile. "I'm sorry, I'm getting tired again."

"I will leave you to rest, then." Yssha purred. "And I will speak to Adrianne and Elrindir before Marcurio and I leave."

She went to Kynareth's shrine for a brief prayer, then, on the way out of the temple, left some gold in the offering box. Back down in the Plains District, she stopped by the Drunken Huntsman to speak to Elrindir, who was eager to offer his help for Lydia, and Warmaiden's, where Adrianne agreed as well, adding, "If she's too weak to walk to the temple, Ulfberth can certainly carry her."

Yssha chuckle-purred at that. "I hope he will not have to, but he will certainly have my gratitude if it is necessary!"

Back at Breezehome, she discovered Marcurio was still asleep, so she re-read the dovahzul books she'd borrowed, until she heard him yawning and coming downstairs. He woke slowly unless it was an emergency needing immediate response, so she didn't say anything until he came back in from the privy. Then she gestured to his new armor. "We shall have to keep shopping at Warmaiden's, love. Look what Adrianne found for you!"

Marcurio poured himself an ale, then inspected the new armor. "We could afford Orcish? And you're in glass?"

Yssha purred. "I had to pay full price for yours, but we got my glass at a very low price because she was unable to sell a cuirass this small to anyone else. You need to take at least your cuirass to Farengar for an enchantment. That one is by the Jarl's will; Farengar did more of mine because he felt obligated for the Bleak Falls Barrow expedition. I do not know if he will feel the same obligation toward you, but he might."

Marcurio chuckled. "Okay. Have you seen Lydia?"

Yssha nodded. "She is as well as can be expected. I spoke to her briefly before she fell asleep again, and found two people to watch over her recuperation while we are gone."

"Good. Um, where are we going?"

"Once we get your armor enchanted, to High Hrothgar so I can return their books. Then to Riverwood to speak again to that Delphine." Yssha knew she looked unhappy at that last, but didn't particularly care, given Delphine's attitude to her.


	17. A Blade in the Dark

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Chapter 17 - A Blade in the Dark

As planned, they went to High Hrothgar long enough to return the language books Yssha had borrowed, then 'ported to the outskirts of Riverwood and walked to the Sleeping Giant Inn.

Delphine noticed them as soon as they entered, and approached immediately. "I'm glad you came back. Let's get downstairs."

Once they were back in her hidden room, she continued. "You know I'm a Blade. We've been looking for you ... well, someone like you, for a very long time. If you really are Dragonborn, that is. Before I tell you any more, I need to make sure I can trust you."

Yssha didn't bother asking if they could trust her; she didn't, but would go along, to find out what Delphine knew. "So ... why did you take the Horn?"

"I knew the Greybeards would send you there if they thought you were Dragonborn. They're nothing if not predictable. When you showed up here, I knew you were the one the Greybeards sent, and not some Thalmor plant."

All right, she would accept that for now, Yssha thought, though the Greybeards hadn't summoned a Dragonborn since Tiber Septim, and she was pretty sure none of the Dragonborn Sovereigns had been sent after the Horn. She knew for a fact that Martin hadn't done any of that; he hadn't even known he was Dragonborn when Greats-Grandmother had found him in Kvatch, and he had never come to Skyrim.

Still, maybe Tiber Septim had been sent to the Tomb for some reason, and that had been attributed to his descendants as well. Yssha shrugged to herself; it didn't really matter that much. "Why are the Thalmor hunting you?"

"We're very old enemies. And if my suspicions are correct, they might have something to do with the dragons returning. But that isn't important right now. What is important is that you might be Dragonborn."

"Why are you looking for a Dragonborn?"

"We remember what most don't - that the Dragonborn is the ultimate dragonslayer. You're the only one that can kill a dragon permanently by devouring its soul. Can you do it? Can you devour a dragon's soul?"

"Yes, that is how I first learned I was Dragonborn. It appears to be common knowledge among the Nords."

"Good," Delphine said. "And you'll have a chance to prove it to me soon enough."

"Is there anything else I should know about?" Gods, getting information from this woman was as hard as fighting a dragon!

"Dragons aren't just coming back, they're coming back to life. They weren't gone somewhere for all these years. They were dead, killed off centuries ago by my predecessors. Now something's happening to bring them back to life. And I need you to help me stop it."

"Coming back to life?" Marcurio put in. "That sounds insane."

"Ha. A few years ago, I said almost the same thing to a colleague of mine. Well, it turned out he was right and I was wrong."

"What makes you think they are coming back to life?" Yssha asked.

"I know they are. I've visited some of their ancient burial mounds and found them empty. And I've figured out where the next one will come back to life. We're going to go there, and you're going to kill that dragon. If we succeed, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Finally! Yssha thought. "Anything else?"

"You got the key information for me. The dragonstone you got for Farengar, remember? The dragonstone was a map of ancient dragon burial sites. I've looked at which ones are now empty. The pattern is pretty clear. It seems to be spreading from the southeast, down in the Jeralls near Riften. The one at Kynesgrove is next if the pattern holds. If we can get there before it happens, maybe we'll learn how to stop it."

A look at her map showed Yssha that Kynesgrove was just a short way south of Windhelm Stables, so she could get there with no waste of time, and still stop by Solitude for her new orders, while Delphine was going the conventional way. "I will meet you there."

"Very well, but don't waste any time. I'll be leaving as soon as I get into my travelling clothes."

Yssha and Marcurio left the inn and went out of town, then teleported to the secluded area they'd found outside Solitude. It was a nice day, so the walk up to Castle Dour was a pleasant one, and they weren't surprised to find General Tullius at his usual place, the map room.

He smiled when he saw them. "By defeating Ulfric at Whiterun we have solidified the allegiance of the Jarl. Perhaps the Stormcloaks will soon lose heart for this little rebellion of theirs once and for all."

Then he handed her an enchanted sword. "I'm promoting you to Quaestor. Take this blade, a symbol of your new station and responsibility. I'll keep an eye on your progress. The Empire rewards excellence, and so do I."

Yssha was surprised at the promotion, but gratified, and she purred. "I thank you, General. Legate Rikke said I should report to you for a new assignment."

He studied her for a moment, then nodded to himself. "You'd be wasted as a regular soldier. I have special plans for you. You'll be of greater use to me with greater flexibility. "Make your way to our hidden military camp in the Pale. Rikke will have important tasks for you, and will need you when we reclaim the capital." He marked it on her map.

"Yes, sir." Her closest teleport point to the Pale encampment was Ustengrav, which was considerably less far than Rikke would have to travel, so she decided the best use of her time would be to meet Delphine at Kynesgrove and see what could be learned there first.

She did so as soon as they left Solitude, 'porting to a concealed spot near the Windhelm Stables, then taking the road south until they found a spur going left to the village. She saw Delphine ahead of them, leading a horse, which explained how she'd arrived so quickly. They caught up just as she stopped, saying, "Wait. Something's wrong."

It was a woman, possibly the innkeeper from her clothing, running down and yelling, "No, you don't want to go up there! A dragon... it's attacking!"

Delphine spoke with her briefly, then rushed up the hill, calling to Yssha and Marcurio. "Come on. Hurry. We might be too late."

Seconds later, Yssha saw Alduin flying above. Delphine must have seen him at the same time, because she exclaimed, "Lorkhan's eyes! Look at that big bastard! Keep your head down, let's see what it does." She went in to stealth mode, still climbing but now with her weapons drawn. Yssha and Marcurio followed her example as she continued, "Come on. We need to find out what's happening up there!"

Alduin Shouted, "Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!"

Yssha whispered a loose translation. "Sahloknir, ever-bound dragon spirit!"

Another Shout. "Slen tiid vo!"

"Let your flesh be restored!"

All three were crouched behind a large rock, paying close attention to the dragon - very soon, dragons, as the mound responded to Alduin's thu'um, and a skeletal dragon pushed its way into the air, its innards, muscles and scaly skin forming as it was, indeed, resurrected. Yssha had seen the process in reverse when she killed the one at the Western Watchtower, but it was still awesome.

"Steady," Delphine whispered. "I don't know what's happening. Let's watch and wait. This is worse than I thought ... "

The newly-risen Sahloknir said, "Alduin, thuri! Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?"

"Alduin, my overlord!" Yssha translated. "An age past, did you not destroy the power of the ancient kings?"

"Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir."

"Yes, Sahloknir, my loyal champion."

Either they weren't hidden as well as they thought, or Alduin had smelled or otherwise sensed them, because he addressed Yssha. "Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi."

Then he snorted. "You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah."

Alduin spoke once more before flying off. "Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."

Yssha rose, translating as she did. "He said, 'Sahloknir, kill these mortals.'"

Then she Shouted, "Fus Ro Dah!" and started casting Flames at it.

Marcurio used Frostbite, then when Sahloknir breathed frost, switched to Flames and Lightning Bolt, while Delphine used her bow, firing repeatedly.

Eventually they brought him down, and Yssha ran in with her new mace, still casting Flames.

"It's to be a real fight, then," Sahloknir said when she struck. "Good!"

It was hard dodging his maw, but she somehow managed to get on his head, bashing him repeatedly while the others kept up their distance attacks until Sahloknir reared up with a scream and collapsed.

She jumped down and moved back, knowing what was going to happen.

Delphine, on the other hand, moved forward. "I'll be damned, you did it! That was well done. Come on. I've been wanting a closer look at one of these buggers."

Yssha sighed and moved forward again, so Delphine could get her precious proof. The fire, the dissolution, then his soul pushing into her - it was all familiar. And it gave her knowledge of Tiid, which turned out to be a word of the Slow Time Shout.

"Wait, something's happening... gods above!" Delphine seemed stunned and nearly speechless, but she managed to say, "So you really are ... I ... it's true, isn't it? You really are Dragonborn."

Yssha managed to hide her scorn. "As I told you, and the Greybeards acknowledged."

"Yes. I owe you some answers, don't I? Go ahead. Whatever you want to know. Nothing held back."

"What do you want with me?"

"For the last two hundred years, since the last Dragonborn emperor, the Blades have been searching for a purpose. Now that dragons are coming back, our purpose is clear again. We need to stop them. So since Helgen, we've also been searching for a Dragonborn to guide and guard, as we are sworn to do. But we never found one. Until now."

"I have seen that dragon before," Yssha said. "Alduin, the one that got away."

"Really? Where?"

"It was the one that attacked Helgen, when Ulfric escaped from the Imperials."

"Interesting. Same dragon... Damn it, we're blundering around in the dark here! We need to figure out who's behind it all!"

"Perhaps no one," Yssha said. "It seems unlikely either man or mer would be willing, much less able, to resurrect dragons."

Delphine seemed to ignore that, and repeated her theme. "The first thing we need to do is figure out who's behind the dragons. The Thalmor are our best lead. If they aren't involved, they'll know who is."

Yssha sighed. "What makes you think the Thalmor are bringing dragons back?"

"Nothing solid," Delphine admitted. "Yet. But my gut tells me it can't be anybody else. The Empire had captured Ulfric. The war was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war is back on. And now the dragons are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately. Skyrim is weakened, the Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?"

Yssha decided to humor her, at least for the present. "Why are the Thalmor after you?"

"Before the Great War, the Blades helped the Empire against the Thalmor. Our Grand Master saw them as the greatest threat to Tamriel. At the time, that was true. Maybe it still is. So we fought them in the shadows, all across Tamriel. We thought we were more than a match for them. We were wrong."

"So, you want to find out what the Thalmor know about the dragons. Any ideas?"

"If we could get into the Thalmor Embassy ... it's the center of their operations in Skyrim ... Problem is, that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. They could teach me a few things about paranoia ..."

"So how do we get someone in?"

"I'm not sure yet. I have a few ideas, but I'll need some time to pull things together ... Meet me back in Riverwood. If I'm not back when you get there, wait for me. I shouldn't be long. Keep an eye on the sky. This is only going to get worse."

Yssha accepted the key Delphine gave her, to the secret room, probably, then the Blade started to leave, only to turn back. "How in the names of the Nine do you know the dragon language?"

Yssha cocked her head at Delphine's look of suspicion. "I was born with a dragon soul, in case you did not know. So as a dov, I knew the language from birth, but since I did not use it, I had to be reminded of that knowledge by seeing or hearing the words. The Greybeards loaned me their dovahzul books, I read them, and I remembered."

"Those meddlers again." Delphine scowled. "It's best you stay away from them. They'll try to turn you away from your purpose."

That wasn't going to happen, but at the moment, Yssha just wanted her to go away, so she didn't argue. "This one will take your opinion under consideration."

"You do that." Then Delphine did leave, and Yssha and Marcurio began gathering the few dragon bones and scales that had survived Sahloknir's disintegration. "That woman irritates me," she said, when Delphine was safely out of earshot.

Marcurio chuckled. "I noticed, dearling. That ultra-formal mode doesn't come out too often, and I've already learned to interpret what it means depending on who you use it to. Yes, you're more formal than most people, or even Khajiit, I've met, but that seems to be normal for you. Ultra-formal only seems to come out when it's someone you respect a lot, or when you're trying to keep your temper under control."

"Am I truly that transparent, love? Perhaps I - "

Marcurio interrupted her with a chuckle. "Probably only to me. I don't think anyone else here knows you that well, at least not yet, so don't worry about it. What next?"

"Hmm. It has not been a difficult day, and it is barely mid-afternoon, so we should probably go find Legate Rikke. But we would not reach the camp from Ustengrav until almost dark, and I would rather not spend the night in a tent. Besides, I want to see how Lydia is faring, so unless you think otherwise, Whiterun for that and a comfortable night at home, then Ustengrav in the morning."

"Agreed," he said. "I much prefer a bed in a nice warm house to a bedroll in a cold tent, myself!"

* * *

Author's note: If you want to see what Yssha's Terran equivalents look like, I just found them, Bing Balinese Siamese, and you'll find her exact coloring. Gorgeous, they are. I wish I could find one locally.


	18. To Ambush a Messenger

Author's Note: Here is where I have to start seriously deviating from canon, because widespread word of Yssha's appearance and Dragonborn status start to make some of the game quests impossible as played. Many are still necessary for what comes later on, so I plan to stick as close to canon as possible, but some major changes are certainly going to be necessary.

* * *

Chapter 18 - To Ambush a Messenger

Once back in Breezehome, they dropped off what few encumbrances they had, except for a dragonbone and a scale she wanted to take to Adrianne, then went downstairs. To their surprise, they found Lydia sitting by the firepit with a mug of something.

She heard them coming down the stairs, and turned, starting to stand. "My Thane!""

"Sit, sit," Yssha told her. "We will join you after we get some ale. I am very happy to see you here instead of in the temple!"

When they were settled in, Yssha said, "I had not expected you to be home until tomorrow. I hope this means you are doing better than expected."

Lydia grimaced. "More like they couldn't do anything more for me. They tried to explain it, but I don't know enough about Restoration magic - well, any magic, for that matter - to understand more than about one word in four. It seems I'll be fine, but I can't expect to do anything that needs much exertion.

"I'll even have to have a healer's support if I get pregnant, past the fourth or fifth month. So combat is out of the question." She sighed. "I really enjoyed joining you going after that Ragged Crown."

Yssha was stricken by her housecarl's disappointment. "I promise, if we run into any adventure that will not involve you fighting, you may come along. Though I would recommend improving your stealth skills, as those are usually the best way to avoid combat."

Lydia brightened at that promise. "Then I will, my Thane, and gladly. Though stealth doesn't come naturally to Nords."

Yssha gave her version of a chuckle. "I have noticed. Since you will not be in combat, except in emergency, I can say that stealth is much easier in light armor than in heavy. Marcurio is a rare exception in that regard."

She paused, thinking, then went upstairs. When she returned, she put some leather armor on the table, and sat back down. "Those are things we found when Marcurio and I destroyed the Dark Brotherhood, at least locally. They have stealth enchantments, and you need them more than I do, so they are yours. As time permits, I will also teach you what I know of sneaking."

Lydia blinked. Maybe holding back tears for some reason, Yssha thought. Then, "Thank you, my Thane. I ... I don't know what to say."

Yssha cat-grinned. "Then say nothing, and simply enjoy whatever you are drinking. We will be leaving again in the morning, so your plaint earlier about me being in and out holds true."

Lydia gave her a shy smile. "And you don't mind if I have Elrindir visit?"

Yssha purred, Marcurio chuckled, then Yssha did her best to look stern. "As long as you do not exert yourself beyond what your healers permit, no, I do not mind."

Lydia blushed and ducked her head. "Thank you, my Thane."

The next morning, after a restful sleep and a good breakfast, Yssha and Marcurio teleported to Ustengrav, and set off from there toward the Pale encampment, arriving shortly before noon. As soon as they entered the camp, Yssha asked a guard where Legate Rikke was, and they were directed to a large command tent, where they found Rikke bending over a map table.

"Legate Rikke?" Yssha called softly. "General Tullius told me to report to you for orders."

Rikke straightened, looked at her, and grinned. "Quaestor, is it? Congratulations, you deserve the promotion. Now - I need you to deliver some false orders to the Stormcloak commander in Dawnstar. But first we need to get our hands on some rebel orders to make the forgeries.

"There's a Stormcloak courier who has a regular route between Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm, and the Nightgate Inn. See if you can't 'convince' one of those innkeepers to help you. One way or another, get me those documents. But don't do anything rash if you go to Windhelm."

"It will have to be Nightgate Inn," Yssha said. "Walking into Windhelm again would be ... less than optimal."

"Possibly fatal, too," Rikke agreed with a chuckle. "And even the Nightgate might be too dangerous, as well-known as you're getting. So use your own methods, but we need those documents."

Yssha cat-grinned. "We will get them for you, Legate."

"I'm sure you will, my little friend," Rikke murmured as the pair left. "I'm sure you will."

She and Marcurio decided on an ambush near the Nightgate Inn, finding the Inn and then a reasonable ambush spot not long before nightfall. Both were sure they'd have to wait for hours, maybe even a day or two - she hadn't thought to ask for the courier's schedule - and it would have to be a cold camp, so firelight or smoke smell wouldn't give them away. Fortunately, the weather was decent enough for Skyrim; there was no snow, and it was above freezing.

Early the following morning, Yssha heard running steps at a distance, and shook Marcurio awake. "Courier," she breathed into his ear, and he rose. Both had, of course, been sleeping in their armor, so they moved onto the path, almost running into the courier. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"I am here for your documents," Yssha replied. "Give them to me, and I will not harm you."

"We'll see about that," the courier snapped, drawing his sword.

Yssha blocked his blow with her mace; Marcurio cut him down with a lightning bolt, then they hauled him off the path and searched the body, retrieving the documents Rikke needed.

Back at the encampment, she handed them to the Legate, who inspected them. "Very good ... Let's see what you have here. Interesting ... They know more of our plans than I expected. It would seem Fort Dunstad is in need of reinforcements. We'll make sure they won't be getting those." Rikke grinned ferociously.

"One moment while I 'correct' some of these documents ... that should do it. Make sure those forged documents get to the Stormcloak commander in Dawnstar. It'll throw him off our trail, allowing us to maneuver more freely."

"Yes, Legate." When they were out of the encampment with the altered documents, Yssha turned to Marcurio. "Neither of us can do that, given Nord attitudes. I hesitate to ask Lydia, but truly, she has the best chance of success without arousing suspicion. And it should not be dangerous for her."

Marcurio shrugged. "We can ask her if she'd be willing. At worst, she'll say no, and we'll have to come up with something else."

When they 'ported back to their bedroom in Breezehome, Yssha heard sounds from downstairs, and gestured Marcurio to silence. After perhaps a minute and a half, she took his hand and 'ported them to the Whiterun location they'd used before getting Breezehome.

"What's going on?" Marcurio asked curiously.

"Ah, I did not wish to interrupt a proposal." Yssha purred. "When the cat is away, you know. It seems we need to go to Dragonsreach and speak to the Jarl."

Marcurio gave her a confused look. "Proposal? Or ... something more?"

"Proposal," Yssha said. "And talking about where to live. So we check on Lakeview first."

Marcurio chuckled. "I think I get it. Let's go."

At the Lakeview building site, they found Yssha's housecarl Reyya supervising a group of workers. "Reyya!" Yssha called. "How is construction going?"

The Redguard turned to them, surprised but smiling. "Thanks to good weather, my Thane, we are just finishing. I was hoping you would show up, to go over further plans. Why?"

"Because we may need to move in almost immediately."

Rayya frowned. "The basic home is hardly suitable for the Dragonborn. Merely a shelter with a bed, a firepit, and minimal storage. Constructing a main hall and converting the basic home to an entryway could take a month or more."

"We can live with that. Ah, would you be interested in becoming steward of what I plan as my primary home?"

Rayya looked blank for a moment. "Not Breezehome?"

Yssha purred. "I have other plans for Breezehome, if Jarl Balgruuf permits."

"In that case, my Thane, I would be honored. Lakeview has great potential, and I would enjoy helping to develop it."

"So be it, then." Yssha handed her a coin purse. "I shall be back to discuss details later, but use this to get the main hall started, if you would."

"Of course, my Thane," Rayya said.

Back to Whiterun, into the city, and up the stairs to Dragonsreach. Yssha sighed. It was too bad she couldn't teleport directly where she wanted to go without frightening people, but it was how it was; Nords didn't care for magic to begin with, so remaining discreet was a good idea.

She approached Jarl Balgruuf's throne, and wasn't surprised to be waved forward. "What can I do for you, Dragonborn?"

"Ah, perhaps a word in less public surroundings, my Jarl?"

Balgruuf cocked his head, but smiled. "As you wish. Come with me." He led her upstairs, and through a door she hadn't entered before, to a huge room with a balcony at the far end. "The Geat Porch," he said with some pride. "Where Olaf One-Eye imprisoned the dragon Numinex. According to legend, at least." He led her to a large table overlooking the city. When all three were seated, with drinks of their choice, he said, "What is it, Dragonborn?"

"I do not wish to breach another's privacy, my Jarl," Yssha replied, "but I have reason to believe Lydia will be getting married soon. I was granted permission to establish a home in Falkreath, which is being built, and I would appreciate your permission to give Breezehome to Lydia and her future husband."

Balgruuf gave her a strange look for several seconds, then smiled."Yes, Lady Dragonborn. You have my permission to give my niece and her future husband Breezehome. Much as I'd like to have you living in Whiterun, Breezehome is hardly suitable for one of your station, but nothing is on the market right now. I'll have an apartment here assigned for your use when you're in town."

"Thank you, my Jarl." Yssha purred, sipping at her wine. "I wonder - can any cleric perform a marriage, or must it be done at the Temple of Mara in Riften?"

"Any cleric, as long as the betrothed have their Amulets of Mara," Balgruuf said promptly. "She is everywhere, of course, like all the Divines, and blesses all marriages."

"I was hoping so; to me, requiring everyone in Skyrim to travel to Riften to wed would be unreasonable, which the Divines are not. But Brother Maramal seemed to take it for granted."

Balgruuf laughed. "I can't imagine someone from, say, Markarth taking family and guests, as well as his betrothed, all the way to Riften when they have a temple of their own. People usually go to the closest temple to where they live."

"That is good to hear. I would truly hate for Lydia to have to travel to Riften and back, when she should recuperate for a while at home."

"So she's out of danger?"

"Yes, my Jarl. She was home when I returned from my latest trip."

"Tell her I send my regards and best wishes for her recovery," Balgruuf said, standing. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hold to run."

"Of course, my Jarl." Yssha drained her wine, also standing. "I have errands I must run, as well."

She and Marcurio followed him down the stairs, then went to Warmaiden's to speak to Adrianne. She showed the smith the bone and scale. "Can you do anything with these?"

Adrianne took them, studying them carefully. "Dragon?" she asked.

"Yes, leftovers from their dissolution."

"Right. Come on over to the forge, and let's see what we can do." She eventually managed to get a couple of holes through the wide part of the scale using using the head of a daedric arrow and the most heat her forge could produce, but after half an hour on the bone, she shook her head. "I'll need to do some experiments on this, if you're willing to leave it with me. But since I can eventually get holes in the scale, I can use those like the steel scales on conventional scaled armor. So if you get enough of them, I can make you a really nice set of dragonscale armor." She grinned. "That's something not even Eorlund Grey-Mane has done!"

"I have heard you mention him before, when I first entered Whiterun," Yssha said. "It is unusual to have two smiths in one town, is it not?"

"Very," Adrianne agreed. "But except for some jewelry his wife sells at the market, and a few Skyforge weapons, he mostly works for the Companions up at Jorrvaskr. Won't normally work for the townsfolk, so we aren't really in competition."

"Thank you for the explanation," Yssha said. "Now - how many scales would you estimate for the armor, and how much would it cost me?"

"If this is a typical size, I'd estimate twenty to twenty-four," Adrienne replied. "Add about eight more if you want a shield. As for cost, bragging rights plus what I'd charge for regular scaled. Oh, and you tell anyone who asks that I'm the one who made it for you. Now if you want a set for Marcurio, that'll take more scales and cost more, but I can't say how much more until I've made a set and know exactly how much work is involved."

Marcurio shook his head. "Not right away. From the relative weights, I'm guessing that'll be light armor. For my melee style, I prefer heavy, so I'll wait until you can figure out how to work with the bone. If you can't, then I'll think about the scaled."

"I'll get on it," Adrianne said with a wide grin. "Crafting dragonscale _and_ dragonbone armor would make me as famous as Eorlund himself!"

"And if you can make weapons as well, that would be even better," Yssha said. "We have so far collected eight scales and twelve bones, so it may be some time before we have enough for you to begin enhancing your reputation."

"Maybe not as long as you think, if you drop off the scales as you get them. I can put the holes in the scales and start putting the armor together when things are slow, now that I've finished that big sword order."

"I shall, then. Have you seen Elrindir recently?"

"Yeah. He left Breezehome just before you got here. Said he was going up to the temple to talk to Danica Pure-Spring, so I'm pretty sure there's a wedding in the offing."

Yssha purred happily. "Then I must definitely speak to Lydia. I will bring you the rest of the scales as soon as I have done that."

She hurried to Breezehome, opening the door to see Lydia looking ecstatic, and she purred again. "You have had some good news, I see."

"Yes!" Lydia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Elrindir proposed, and I accepted. He's going to the temple now to see when Priestess Danica can perform the ceremony."

"Then it is well I spoke to the Jarl a few hours ago," Yssha said.

Lydia looked curious. "About what, my Thane?"

"For permission to give you Breezehome, as I was granted an estate in Falkreath Hold, and I prefer living in the country. So this - " she waved her hand, indicating the entire house, "is your wedding gift. We will move our things to Dragonsreach before the ceremony."

"Oh, my Thane - you shouldn't have!" But Lydia's expression said the opposite, practically glowing.

"I am happy I did." Yssha did her best to smile. "As I said, I do not really care for cities."

Then there was a knock on the door, and Marcurio let Elrindir in. He wasn't looking too happy, and when he spoke, neither did Lydia. "She says it can't happen until the wounded are all able to leave and the temple has been cleaned up. Probably about a week, but maybe longer since the ones who were hurt worst are responding pretty slowly."

Lydia's disappointment was obvious, so Yssha said, "At least it will give you time to prepare. We had less than a day. And Lydia, I have something you can do for me, if you wish. Something neither Marcurio nor I can do, as we are too well known."

That got her interest. "What is it, my Thane?"

"I need some papers delivered to the Stormcloak commander in Dawnstar. You are even a Nord, so you would blend in well. To save you the carriage ride, I will go there, find an out-of-the-way spot, and come back for you."

Elrindir looked puzzled. "How will that help?"

"I am a mage," Yssha said. Not a terribly good one yet, but she was. "I have a few spells that simplify travel, but I try very hard to avoid using them in public. The primary one is teleportation - do you know what that is?"

"Instant travel," Elrindir said with a nod. "The mages at the College of Winterhold have been trying to work that one out for a long time."

"Really? Perhaps I should visit there, then, when my duties allow. I am not a skilled enough mage to teach spells, but perhaps they will be able to find some clues by observing me while I do it."

"Why take the carriage, then?"

"Because I must have been to a place before I can teleport there, which is profitable for Bjorlam," Yssha said, amused.

"So no danger from maybe having to fight as we travel, and then just deliver some papers," Lydia said. "Less fun than Korvanjund, but at least I can still help some ways. Hmm."

Yssha was silent while her housecarl thought.

"We have some Stormcloak armor I couldn't sell here," Lydia said at last. "If I wear that, I shouldn't have any trouble getting to see him, and it's still pretty obvious from my face and the way I move that I've been wounded. If he says anything, I can claim it's my last mission, that I've been invalided out and am on my way home."

"Very good," Yssha said. She would have to make a point of including Lydia in planning sessions from now on, when she could. "I will start for Dawnstar as soon as I get to the stables. I need to drop some things off at Warmaiden's, and if you would begin moving my things to the apartment Jarl Balgruuf has assigned me at Dragonsreach, I would appreciate it." She cat-grinned. "Unfortunately for you and Elrindir, you have a week to do so."

She went upstairs to retrieve the remaining dragonscales, and decided she might as well take the bones as well, in case Adrianne needed more than one for her experiments. As she finished putting them in her pack, she heard Elrindir exclaim, "She _what_?"

Marcurio chuckled. "I think she just told him about your wedding present."

Yssha wished again that she could truly smile, human-fashion. "So it would seem."

Once they'd dropped off the scales and bones, they headed toward the stables, but Bjorlam and his wagon were gone. "Probably on a job," Marcurio said. "What now? We can wait, buy horses, or walk."

"I can ride, and ride well, thanks to the Knights, but I do not really like horses, and most of them like me even less," Yssha said. "And I do not wish to wait. Walk, I would say, since the weather is pleasant."

"Okay, love. I agree, let's go." They didn't run into any unusual problems, except for the first sabrecat Yssha had seen, until halfway through the trip. Then they ran into a patrol of Thalmor consisting of a Justiciar, three soldiers, and a mage.

"That's her!" the Justiciar yelled. "Get them!"

The two were startled, but both had their weapons out and spells readied within five steps. It took Yssha another step to get a Shout ready, and aim it at the mage. "Fus ... Ro Dah!"

She was astonished when it threw him back , tumbling heels-over-head - so astonished one of the soldiers got closer than she would have liked before she realized it and began wielding her mace. He was a strong opponent, but no match for one trained by the Knights and wielding fire magic as well as a weapon.

Marcurio took the mage out permanently while she did the same with another soldier, then engaged the Justiciar. Her main problem with fighting Altmer up close was the difference in height, so she had to concentrate on his legs, feet, and lower abdomen since those were all she could reach easily while he stood. Which gave her an idea, and she crouched, stabbing upward between his legs.

He screamed and fell, writhing and clutching his groin, which gave her the perfect opportunity to yank his helmet off and cut his throat.

Marcurio had finished off the final soldier while she did that. "I'm glad I'll never face you in combat, love," he said. "You fight about as fairly as I do. Which is to say, not at all."

She cat-grinned. "To quote Sir Stildyne, 'A fair fight will get you killed. Which will do you and those you're fighting for or with absolutely no good. So cheat whenever you can.'"

Marcurio laughed. "And you obviously took it to heart. Elven armor's not that valuable, but also not that heavy, so let's grab it."

"Right." But while stripping the Justiciar, Yssha found a note that made her frown. "Love, I need you over here."

He joined her immediately. "What is it?"

She handed over the note. "I am now an official Thalmor target, it seems."

Marcurio read the note aloud.

"'Be on the look out for the Khajiit called Yssha. Cream-colored fur, except for dark brown ears, nose, and extremities. She is called the Dragonborn, has allied with the Empire, and may very well disrupt our activities to keep this civil war going, which would cause the Dominion great harm. If spotted, you are to destroy her with extreme hatred.

"Be advised, she is extremely dangerous, and quite able to defend herself. If caught by local authorities, we are unable to offer you any assistance.

For the glory of the Aldmeri Dominion!'"

"I have never liked the Thalmor," Yssha said, almost casually. "Nor have I ever particularly targeted them. Now, however, they have made it personal."

_Good. They are destroying My Empire, which you must restore. _It wasn't exactly a voice, but it thundered through her.

It took her several seconds to respond. "I am sorry, but I do not understand. Either who you are, if not a figment of my imagination, or what you mean."

She sensed affection. _I am Talos, first of that name. You are the second. The current Emperor has potential, but cannot do it alone, so you must aid him. Your destiny is elsewhere, but that is not for me to say. Our soul-father will do so when He thinks the time correct. _

Marcurio shook her, looking concerned. "Are you all right? It sounded like you were talking to someone who isn't here."

"I ... was." Yssha shook herself, as if trying to dry wet fur. "But I must think before I share it, beloved. For the most part, whether to believe what I think I heard. The only thing I am sure of is that I took the correct path in following the Empire, which for me was not a true decision."

* * *

Author's note: Oh, great. Unplanned and unexpected divine intervention. I just hope it won't mess up my planned storyline too much.

Also, I try to stay a few chapters ahead, so I'm never without something to post. It usually takes me 2-3 days to write a chapter, and I've run into a problem on my latest. So don't count on the every day postings until I get this snag figured out.


	19. Message Delivery

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Chapter 19 - Message Delivery

The rest of their trip to Dawnstar was uneventful, which was just as well, since Yssha spent most of it deep in thought. The Nine were real, there was no question of that, but none had spoken to her before, or even taken interest, that she had noticed.

No, wait. Marcurio thought that Mara had done so, when Brother Maramal had refused payment for her Amulet of Mara. That had bothered her, a little, then; coming to the attention of the Divines, as Greats-Grandmother had, complicated one's life tremendously. But having one speak to her directly was an order of magnitude worse. If it had really happened, of course, rather than being a figment of an over-active imagination.

They were maybe an hour from Dawnstar when she decided that simply going over the same things repeatedly wasn't getting her anywhere. She needed Marcurio's input. "Beloved?"

"What is it, dearling? What happened earlier?"

"Yes." She hesitated before going on. "When I decided the Thalmor had made it a personal matter, I heard ... a disembodied voice. What it said was, 'Good. They are destroying My Empire, which you must restore.'"

"Um." He was silent for several seconds. "I can understand why that shook you. But there was more, wasn't there?"

"Yes, and worse. This is hard to say, you understand."

Marcurio nodded, moving to put an arm around her. "Yes, of course. It was Talos?"

"So the voice claimed. I will never forget the words, if I live for a thousand years." She took a deep breath. "The rest of it was,

"'I am Talos, first of that name. You are the second. The current Emperor has potential, but cannot do it alone, so you must aid him. Your destiny is elsewhere, but that is not for me to say. Our soul-father will do so when He thinks the time correct.'"

"So the Greybeards were right. Talos translates as Stormcrown in the ancient Ehlofnex, you know." Marcurio sighed. "And the soul-father he mentioned would have to be Akatosh. You know, dearling, if we thought our lives were interesting before ... "

"Yes, I know. More complications in an already-complicated situation. We can only hope we will be able to cope with them." Yssha shrugged. "We must simply do our best. Which for now is finding a Dawnstar teleport location."

That turned out to be easier than around a larger city, so it didn't take long, and they 'ported home. Lydia and Elrindir were there, and Lydia immediately excused herself to change. That took only minutes, and she was ready to go.

There was no reason for Marcurio to go along, so Yssha took Lydia to the Dawnstar target and handed her the papers. "I do not know Dawnstar, so I have no idea where you might find the commander who is to get these."

"I'll start at the inn," Lydia said cheerfully. "If he's not there, I'm sure someone will know where to find him."

"All right. I will remain here, out of sight. I expect no trouble, with you in Stormcloak uniform, but be careful."

Lydia chuckled. "I will, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

She left, and Yssha settled in to wait as patiently as she could. She hated to have to send someone else to act for her in things like this, but she was fully aware that trying to do it herself would cause the mission to fail, and more than likely get her killed as well, which would do no one any good. And she was certain this wouldn't be the only time she had to resort to a similar arrangement.

Nor would they all be as simple or safe as this, so she wouldn't be able to send Lydia. Who, then? She thought about the people she'd met since arriving in Skyrim, discarding most as candidates immediately, until she began considering the Thieves Guild members. Four of the ones she'd met so far were Nords, who could blend in easily. Vex, unfortunately, was an Imperial, but the Guild's best infiltrator, so she was definitely a candidate.

The only problem with the Guild was that they would have to be paid, and she didn't even know if they'd let a fellow member hire them. They might consider it a conflict of interest, but on the other hand, coin was their main interest, so that might take precedence. She would hope so, at least.

At last, she heard footsteps, and recognized Lydia's scent. She purred when her housecarl approached, looking pleased. "You had no trouble, then?"

"Not a bit. He was happy to get the papers, and sympathetic that I'd been discharged. He even gave me a few gold and told me to get a drink at the Windpeak Inn. I decided to pass on that, though, so I could get back here sooner."

"Let us return home, then. I will take us to the loft, so we do not startle the men." She extended her hand, and when Lydia took it, 'ported them home.

When they got downstairs, Elrindir smiled. "That didn't take long. That's a useful spell."

"It is indeed," Yssha agreed. "Love, shall we report to Legate Rikke for our next assignment?"

"Since we can 'port back here for the night, sure. If it meant spending the night in a tent, my opinion would be different."

"Mine as well," Yssha said with a nod. "Had that been the case, I would not have asked."

* * *

"Good job!" Rikke exclaimed when they got to the command tent and reported. "I knew I gave the mission to the right person."

"What is my next assignment?" Yssha asked.

"We're going to take advantage of Fort Dunstad being undermanned. I want you to meet the men gathered there. They may have need of your ... ah ... specialized abilities."

"Yes, Legate." Once they were out of sight of the camp, she 'ported them home, then grimaced. "Have I mentioned how much I hate large battles?"

"Once or twice, maybe more," Marcurio replied with a laugh. "I don't like them either, but they're kind of inevitable in war."

"I know," Yssha said, sighing. "So tomorrow, we find Fort Dunstad."

The fort was less than four hours south of Dawnstar, under normal circumstances, but they ran into bad weather, so it was midafternoon by the time they joined the waiting legionnaires. The officer in charge began the attack immediately, and it turned rapidly into the same chaos that had happened at Whiterun.

Unfortunately, the group's healer was killed in the first minutes, so Yssha decided she would be more useful replacing him than fighting, since her thu'um would be useless with legionnaires and Stormcloaks intermingled. So except for defending herself a couple of times, she spent the battle casting healing spells, scavenging for healing and magica potions, and pulling wounded legionnaires out of the combat zone.

By the tme the fighting slowed and eventually stopped, she was exhausted, and had to use her last magica potion to restore enough of that to permit teleportation. She accepted the commander's thanks for her healing services, then excused herself, found a secluded spot, and 'ported herself and Marcurio back to the encampment. She found Rikke and reported in, being told to report to General Tullius for her next assignment.

Instead of doing that right away, though, she decided that if she were going to use the Guild for some of the things she couldn't do, it might be wise to get some rest, then take care of the job Maven had given her. It didn't sound exciting, but it also sounded like it wouldn't take long, and it was in Whiterun, which made it ever better. Home it was, then.

* * *

Author's Note: I know this is a short chapter, and I apologize, but I'm not fond of writing (or reading)blow-by blow accounts of large battles, ind couldn't justify throwing in a bunch of words just for the sake of padding. I'll post another chapter tomorrow.


	20. Dampened Spirits

.

Chapter 20 - Dampened Spirits

She was supposed to speak to Mallus Maccius at the Bannered Mare, and Marcurio needed to do some paperwork and other chores for his business, so she went alone. She found him sitting at a table, nursing a tankard of ale.

When she joined him, he looked dubious. "_You're_ the one Maven sent? Why in Oblivion would the Dragonborn work for her?"

Yssha shrugged. "Even the Dragonborn has to eat, and I understand she pays well. What do you have for me?"

He still looked doubtful, but explained. "Honningbrew's owner, Sabjorn, is about to hold a tasting for Whiterun's Captain of the Guard, and we're going to poison the mead."

That almost made Yssha get up and leave, but maybe she should learn more. If it was going to be too bad, she could always report it to a guard. "Do you have the poison?"

"No, no," he said gleefully. "That's the beauty of the whole plan. We're going to get Sabjorn to give it to us. The meadery has quite a pest problem and the whole city knows about it. Pest poison and mead don't mix well, you know what I mean? You're going to happen by and lend poor old Sabjorn a helping hand. He's going to give you the poison to use on the pests, but you're also going to dump some of it into the brewing vat. Maven and I spent weeks planning this. All we need is someone like you to get in there and get it done. Now get going before Sabjorn grows a brain and hires someone else to do the dirty work."

"Right." Rat poison, was it? It wouldn't take enough to make anyone sick to spoil the taste of the mead, which should achieve Maven's objective. And she would happily exterminate the pests, especially if those were rats or skeevers.

"Why do you wish to kill the pests, though?" she asked curiously.

"Once Sabjorn is out of the way, Maven has plans for this place. One way or another, we don't want the pests coming back. Consider it just more of the dirty work. I did my part getting them in there, now you need to clear them out."

"I see. How will I be able to reach the vats?"

"The two buildings are connected by tunnels made by the pests infesting the meadery. There's an entrance to it in the basement storeroom of the warehouse that used to be boarded over. I've already removed the boards so the meadery would get infested. That's where you should start."

"You know why I am doing this. What is your reason?"

"If this plan works, not only is my debt gone, but I'll be set up for life. Maven and I worked out a little deal. If Sabjorn ends up in jail, she's going to take over his meadery. And guess who gets to run the Black-Briar Meadery in Whiterun? You're looking at him."

"Understood." Yssha rose and left the Bannered Mare, stopping at Arcadia's Cauldron to replace her potions before going to the meadery.

* * *

"Welcome, Dragonborn," the man behind the counter - Sabjorn, she assumed - said. "I'm the owner and proprietor of Honningbrew Meadery. It's an honor to have you here, but you're too early for the tasting."

"That is not why I am here," Yssha said. "I understand you have a pest infestation, and are looking for an exterminator. If that is correct, and the pay is adequate, I would happily take care of them."

"From dragons to skeevers, hmm?" Sabjorn shrugged. "Seems like quite a come-down to me, but that's your business. Pay is a thousand gold. After the job is done."

That wouldn't do; afterward, he would be in jail. For a while, at least; she hated to set him up for Maven's takeover, but that was necessary for her status in the Guild. Later, however, she would make it up to him. "Half now, half after the job is done. It is the only way I work."

"Oh, very well." He sighed, apparently resigned to the inevitable. "Here's half. You get the rest when the job's done. My only demand is that these vermin are permanently eliminated before my reputation is completely destroyed.

"I bought some poison. I was going to have my lazy, good-for-nothing assistant Mallus handle it, but he seems to have vanished. If you plant this in the vermin's nest, it should stop them from ever coming back." He handed her a vial of powder. "Don't come back until every one of those things are dead."

"If Mallus is so poor an employee, why do you not fire him?" Yssha asked curiously.

"Mallus is the best deal I've ever made," Sabjorn said happily. "Lent him a bit of gold some time ago I knew he'd never be able to pay back. Nothing like free labor to make operating costs cheaper."

That was slavery, and Yssha's opinion of Sabjorn plummeted. For slavery, if not for Maven's convenience, he deserved life in prison. She turned to go into the basement.

"Now I've got to clean up this mess," Sabjorn grumbled. "Remember, you don't get the rest until they're all dead. Please hurry. The Captain of the Guard isn't patient when it comes to tasting time."

The hole in the cellar wall was easy to find, even though she was fighting skeevers before she got to it, and more as she descended a surprisingly large and long passageway that opened onto a large cave - with several large skeevers and a man leaning over an alchemy table. She went into stealth mode before any of them could see her, and managed to kill two of the four skeevers before the man turned and spotted her.

Instead of trying to speak, he began preparing a spell. As soon as she saw the characteristic red of Destruction, she Shouted. "Fus ... Ro DAH!" The man was thrown back, across the alchemy table, and his head cracked against the stone wall, stunning him. She had no hesitation in finishing him off, since he'd tried to do it to her first, then she took care of the other two skeevers.

The skeever nest was beside the alchemy table, so she used the poison on it, saving what she thought would be enough to taint the mead, then explored the cave. She found a chest with some treasure and a couple of books, one of which was a journal. She skimmed that, shaking her head. The man had been insane, however brilliant he'd thought himself. A criminal with delusions of grandeur ... it was unfortunate he'd ever escaped from prison.

She cast Pathfinder, and discovered another passage, shorter, where all she had to do was avoid a couple of bear traps. The door at its end led to the boilery, where stairs went to a balcony at the level of the vat tops. Looking at the size of the vats, she hoped she'd saved enough of the poison. She knew enough about brewing to work out which vat was ready to tap, got its lid open, and dumped the remaining poison in. Then back down the stairs, and outside, using a key she'd found hanging beside the other door.

Shortly after she got back to the warehouse with the bar and told Sabjorn she was done, Commander Caius entered. "Are you ready, Sabjorn?"

"I was just going to tap the vat," Sabjorn replied. "I'll be right back." He turned to Yssha. "You'll get paid when the tasting is over."

Caius turned to her, looking surprised. "You did the extermination, Dragonborn?"

"Why not?" Yssha asked. "The opportunity to get paid well for killing skeevers is a treat not to be turned down."

Caius was still chuckling when Sabjorn returned with a small keg. "Here, milord. It's my finest brew yet ... I call it Honningbrew Reserve. I think you'll find it quite pleasing to your palate."

"Oh, come now, this is mead ... not some wine to be sipped and savored."

Caius poured himself a cup of the mead, and took a sip, then scowled and spat it out. "Shor's Bones! What ... what's in this?"

"I ... I don't know." Sabjorn looked worried. "What's wrong?"

"This ... stuff ... tastes like horse piss," Caius growled. "You could've poisoned me - you assured me this place was clean! I'll see to it that you remain in irons for the rest of your days!"

He approached Mallus. "You're in charge here until I can sort this all out."

Then he returned to Sabjorn. "And you ... you're coming with me to Dragonsreach. We'll see how quickly your memory clears in the city's prisons. Now move."

Sabjorn protested. "Look, I assure you, this is all just a huge misunderstanding!"

Caius drew his sword. "I said move!" He marched Sabjorn out of the building at swordpoint.

When they were gone, Yssha went over to Mallus. "I need to look through Sabjorn's books. Do you know where they are kept?"

He handed her a key. "So, Maven wants to hunt down Sabjorn's private partner, huh? You're welcome to take a look around Sabjorn's office. He keeps most of his papers stashed in his desk."

That turned out to be upstairs and not difficult to find; she secured the promissory note Maven wanted and went back down to Mallus.

"What will you do now?" she asked him.

"Start changing it over to the Black-Briar Meadery West as soon as possible. That was Maven's part of the deal. She's put me in charge of keeping the mead flowing, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. If you're in the area and you ever need anything fenced, you just let me know."

"It would have been nice if you had told me about that madman. I had to kill him."

"I thought it would be better to leave some of the details out of our previous discussion. Didn't want to risk you walking away from the job. Besides, you've done Maven a favor getting rid of him and saved me from wasting coin hiring someone else to do it later."

Yssha shook her head in resignation and left. Well, it was still early enough for her to make a quick trip to Solitude to get her next orders, so she found a concealed location and 'ported to her Solitude spot. It felt odd traveling like this without Marcurio, but it did give her a chance to check out a clothing store she'd seen on an earlier trip. She'd hesitated then, afraid he would find it boring, but this trip, she had no hesitation about going in.

She was greeted as soon as she went in. "Dragonborn! I'm Taarie. How may the Radiant Raiment serve you?"

This was one of the owners, then. "I am interested it what you have available, even though I fear I will be living almost exclusively in armor for some time."

"We have any sort of clothing you could want, other than armor," Taarie replied promptly. "Everything from rough work clothing to raiment suitable for a High King or Queen. Also shoes, boots, jewelry, amulets, that sort of thing." She paused, cocking her head. "I'm sure you'll be going to the Blue Palace sooner or later. When you do, could you do my sister and me a big favor?"

"What would you wish me to do?"

"If you were willing to wear one of Radiant Raiment's outfits and speak to the Jarl I would not only pay you but let you keep the outfit."

"I see no reason not to. Certainly I will."

"Good. Here's the outfit. Try to get Elisif's opinion on it, and if she likes it mention it's from Radiant Raiment."

"I will do so. In the meantime, you mentioned amulets - would you happen to have one of Talos's?"

Taarie chuckled. "In Skyrim? Of course we do. Those are our best seller, in spite of the Thalmor. They are fifty gold apiece."

"I will take one." Yssha cat-grinned. "I am already a Thalmor target; wearing His amulet cannot make that worse."

"True." Taarie went behind the counter and returned with the amulet. As Yssha was paying her, she said, "Your coloring is as attractive as it is unusual. When you get to the point where you don't need armor all the time, I'd appreciate the opportunity to design some outfits for you."

"I would like that. Believe it or not, I do like nice clothes, when I have the chance to wear them."

They chatted for a few more minutes, then Yssha took her leave and headed up to Castle Dour.

She found General Tullius in his usual place, and reported the success at Fort Dunstad. "Though I had little part in that, truly," she confessed. "Our healer was killed early in the fighting, so I spent most of the battle acting in his stead. My magica is limited, but fortunately I was able to find potions to supplement my healing spells."

Tullius gave her a serious look. "Damn good thing you were there, and willing to take a non-combat role. Lady Dragonborn, never underestimate the importance of support troops, especially healers. Being without one would cause serious morale problems, as well as numerous unnecessary deaths."

"You sound much like Sir Carolus, sir. He made the same points, repeatedly, during my training. But I was not aware the Legion felt the same."

"The ranks might not realize it, but by the time one becomes a senior officer, they've learned it. At the risk of quoting another of your teachers: a lieutenant thinks tactics. A general thinks logistics."

"That would be Sir Aurelia, yes." Yssha purred in amusement.

"Well, back to more immediate concerns," Tullius said, with a sigh. "Taking the Pale gives us another port in Dawnstar, and puts us within striking distance of Windhelm. That should make Ulfric a bit more cautious, eh? Battles are won by trained and disciplined men. Wars are won by talented and exceptional individuals. I'm raising you to Praefect. Take this shield, as a gift and symbol of your new rank. You've earned it."

Yssha accepted what she was given. She didn't use a shield, preferring to keep her left hand free for spells, but she could always carry it on her back. "What are my next orders, sir?"

"Make your way to our camp in the Rift. We have a few surprises for the Stormcloaks lined up."

"Yes, sir." The Rift? That was good news, since it fit in well with her other commitments. "Marcurio and I will be there as soon as possible."


	21. Compelling Tribute

.

Chapter 21 - Compelling Tribute

"I need an opinion," she told Marcurio over breakfast. "I am conflicted. I wish to help end this war as quickly as possible, but I also feel the need to pursue the job I was apparently born for, the defeat of Alduin. For which I need to speak to that Delphine again."

"I don't see the problem," he said. "You've got teleport targets for both Riverwood and Riften, so why don't we go see Delphine first, then go to Riften and find the Imperial camp from there? That would take a long time without the 'porting, but you should still get to the camp not much later than Legate Rikke."

Yssha considered briefly, then nodded. "You are right, beloved." She grimaced. "I was thinking too linearly again, and perhaps over-thinking the problem as well. I have been chided about both, but still fall into those traps."

Marcurio laughed. "But you know to ask for help when you're in doubt, love. That's a rare ability right there - and I know from first-hand experience how hard it is to change your way of handling problems."

"Yes, it is," Lydia agreed. "I'm learning that myself, now that I can't do as much as I used to." She smiled at her Thane, using her name, as she'd been asked. "So, Yssha, what do you think of small ale for breakfast?"

"That I am extremely glad you suggested I try it," Yssha said promptly. She didn't have either the body mass or alcohol capacity of a Nord, but like Cyrodiil the water wasn't safe to drink, she didn't really like watered wine, and the tisane she'd drunk in Cyrodiil wasn't available here. "It is nice starting the day out with something that is not trying to make me drunk!"

That made both the others laugh, and she acted indignant. "Please! The Dragonborn should not get a reputation as a drunken sot!"

She got more laughter with that, and purred. "Well, love, shall we leave for Riverwood when we finish eating?"

Marcurio nodded. "I'd like to stop by Warmaiden's and see if Adrianne's made any progress with the dragonbone first, if you don't mind, though."

"Since I want us both in dragon armor as soon as that can be done, yes."

They left Breezehome and went next door, where Adrianne clearly guessed what they wanted to know. She shook her head. "Not yet, but I'm making progress. Arcadia has a few ideas on reagents we can use to soften the bone up enough to get past what I can manage with forging alone."

"Excellent!" Yssha exclaimed. "We have encountered no further dragons, so I have no more bones or scales for you, but I am certain that is only a matter of time."

Adrianne nodded. "So am I. We all wish you well, Dragonborn, and I'll make you the dragon armor as quickly as I can to improve your chances against the World-Eater."

"I appreciate that. I will never forget Helgen."

"None of us will." Adrianne grinned. "You're looking impatient, though, so I won't keep you."

* * *

When they got to Riverwood, Yssha greeted those she knew as they walked toward the Sleeping Giant Inn. She was surprised at how much she was coming to like this land and its people, so different from home. The land was rough, and often cold, but the residents, rough as well, were surprisingly warm, for the most part. Of course, that might be her Dragonborn status, given their normal attitude toward the beastfolk, but since she had little personal experience of that, it was difficult to judge.

When they entered the inn, Delphine spotted them and gestured toward her room. Assuming she meant them to go to the secret room downstairs, they did so, and waited for her to arrive. As soon as she did, she said, "I've figured out how we're going to get you into the Thalmor Embassy."

Thalmor Embassy? Yssha's ears went back. "That is not possible, but tell me what you have planned. I may be able to find an alternative."

"Not possible?" Delphine scowled. "And just why would that be?"

"Because the Thalmor have already tried to kill me once, and would recognize and kill me on sight." Yssha showed her the note she'd recovered.

Delphine cursed with some imagination. When she ran down, Yssha said, "What was your plan? We may be able to work out an alternative."

"The Thalmor ambassador, Elenwen, regularly throws parties where the rich and connected cozy up to the Thalmor. The idea was get you into one of those parties. Once you were inside the Embassy, you could get away and find Elenwen's secret files."

Yssha considered for a few moments. "It could still work, as I know an excellent infiltrator I may be able to hire, though it will take a trip to Riften."

Delphine's eyebrow went up. "Thieves Guild?"

At Yssha's nod, she grinned. "You mean Vex, then. Yeah, she could handle this in her sleep. If she'll take the job, send her here and I'll brief her."

"I shall do so." Yssha wasn't surprised that Delphine was aware of the Thieves Guild or its members; to the contrary, she would have been surprised if the Blade hadn't known, given their status as intelligence operatives.

"I am off to Riften now," she said. "If Vex agrees, I will send her to you."

The first thing, though, was finding the Rift Imperial encampment so she'd have a teleport target there. That only took a couple of hours, and they found Rikke, as at the Pale, studying a campaign map in the command tent. "Legate Rikke? I am reporting for duty."

Rikke looked up with a smile. "It's good to see you again - Praefect this time, is it? Congratulations. At this rate, you'll make Legate yourself, in no time."

"General Tullius is most generous," Yssha said. "Ah, what is my next assignment?"

"You're going to Riften. My spies report the Jarl's Steward, Anuriel, has arrangements with the Thieves Guild that would be rather embarrassing if made public. I need you to find evidence of her corrupt activities, and use it to gain a measure of her "cooperation." This will require stealth and discretion. The Jarl's guards won't take kindly to anyone rummaging through her Steward's private quarters."

"Yes, Legate. I am off to Riften, then."

"Good." Rikke smiled again. "I can always count on you, can't I?"

Yssha purred. "I do my best to insure that."

On the way from the ruined tower that was her Riften target, she did some thinking. Rikke obviously expected her to sneak into Anuriel's quarters and find something to blackmail her with. She had enough invisibility potions to do that, but since she had to go to the Guild anyway, she might be able to get her blackmail materials there.

Down in the Cistern, she chatted briefly with a couple of her guildmates before going to the Flagon to find Brynjolf. With his red hair, that was easy enough, and she approached him. "Brynjolf, I have a pair of questions for you, if I may."

He grinned. "The Dragonborn may ask me anything. How're you doing, lass?"

"I am well, but busier than I had anticipated." She twitched her ears. "First, I must get Anuriel to cooperate with me in something I am sure she will not wish to do. Would you have any idea how to do that which will not require me to break into her quarters?"

"Why? D'you think it'd give you a problem?"

"Not really, but I would rather not take the time to do a proper scouting job."

Brynjolf chuckled. "In that case, just tell her I'm curious about how she liked the dress Maven sent her shortly after she became Steward. If she gets stubborn tell her ... hmm. Hold on; I think I have a copy of the letter Maven sent along with the dress." He left, returning in a few minutes and handing her a folded piece of parchment. "She's smart enough that she probably destroyed the original, but I kept this as a backup in case we had to remind her of her promise to cooperate. Now, what's the other question?"

"Is one Guild member allowed to hire the services of another member?"

Brynjolf frowned, clearly puzzled. "It's rarely done, but yes. May I ask why?"

"Of course." Yssha cat-grinned. "I need to accomplish an infiltration which is impossible for me. I must obtain documents from the Thalmor Embassy, but between being known as Dragonborn, and my ususual coloring, I am too easily identified." She cocked her head. "Add that I am also on the Thalmor kill-on-sight list, and I am sure you will understand."

"I do that," he said grimly. "Vex, you heard?"

The tall Imperial joined them. "Yes. I'll need a better briefing than that, but I'll take the job." She gave Yssha a quizzical look. "Usual Guild restrictions on killing?"

Brynjolf answered before Yssha could. "Thalmor've targeted us, by targeting one of our members. That makes the bastards fair game."

"Good enough," Vex said, with a predatory smile. "Now, where do I go for that improved briefing? And what's the pay?"

"Whatever your standard fee is," Yssha replied. "See Delphine, the innkeeper at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood."

"Since I don't have to worry about killing the damn Thalmor, you get a price break," Vex said. "Call it five hundred, unless I run into unexpected problems. And it'll be nice seeing Delphine again."

Yssha handed over the gold. "I thank you, Vex."

"My pleasure. I'll be off for Riverwood, then, as soon as I gather my gear." She headed for the Cistern.

Brynjolf chuckled. "I'll give you this, lass - you're making guild life more interesting already, even though you've only done two jobs for us so far." He studied her for a moment. "Say, has anyone told you about shadowmarks or thief caches?"

"Not that I recall," Yssha said. "What are those?"

"Delvin wrote up a pamphlet on the shadowmarks we use, so pick up a copy from him. In cities where we have influence, we establish caches where a guild member down on his or her luck can find enough to keep going." He grimaced. "Right now, that's only Riften, but if you come across one, don't hesitate to take whatever you need, or add something you don't need."

"A good policy," Yssha said. "Until I find one such, please add this." She handed him perhaps a hundred gold, and a couple of daggers.

"I'll do that, lass," Brynjolf said, taking her offering.

She stopped off and got a shadowmark pamphlet from Delvin, then left the Guild and went up to Mistveil Keep. Inside, she saw the jarl, Laila Law-giver, on her throne, and another woman in a smaller chair beside her. Given that stewards tended to stay close to their Jarls, that was probably Anuriel.

When she and Marcurio approached the throne, the Jarl smiled. "Welcome, Dragonborn. Is there something we of Riften can do for you?"

"I have something that may interest your steward," Yssha said. "May I show it to her?"

"Certainly," Jarl Laila said, with a nod and a smile. "Anuriel?"

The other woman rose and went to Yssha. "What do you have, Dragonborn?"

When Yssha showed her the letter, she paled a bit, but otherwise controlled her expression. "We need to discuss this in private. Come with me."

Yssha signalled Marcurio to wait, then followed her behind the throne and into a corridor, then into what looked like a combination bedroom and office, where Anuriel whirled to face her. "Where did you get this?"

"Brynjolf kept a copy," Yssha replied calmly. "He assumed you destroyed the original, but it is the contents that are important, is it not?"

Anuriel nodded reluctantly. "If this got out, it would ruin me. I have a good thing going here. The Jarl benefits from my ... more creative arrangements, as well. But while she's easy to fool, once her trust is lost, it's impossible to regain."

"She need not find out, if you can tell me anything useful." Yssha didn't like doing this, but it had to be done. "In your position, you must know everything that is going on."

Anuriel nodded. "There's a large shipment of gold and weapons ... "

"Go on. I am listening."

Anuriel sighed. "I don't seem to have much choice in the matter, do I?"

"Not if you wish to retain your current position, no."

Anuriel grimaced. "All right, all right. You've made your point, Dragonborn, and I hate you for this."

"You are hardly the first," Yssha said. "Now, where do I find this shipment?"

"They're taking it by wagon to Windhelm. If you hurry, you'll catch them before they get far. It'll be a fairly slow-moving group. The shipment is quite heavy, and guarded by many men. Now, shall we forget we ever had this discussion?"

"If you wish. Should the Jarl ask, it was something personal, which is true. I will take my leave now."

"May the Nine send you to Oblivion," Yssha heard Anuriel mutter as she left.

Not much later, Yssha and Marcurio were back at the encampment and entering the command tent. Legate Rikke heard them, and looked up. "Did you find anything?"

Yssha nodded. "A caravan with a wagon of gold and weapons is headed - " She broke off, hearing an all-too- familiar roar. "Dragon!" she called out, seeing troopers come alert as she drew her mace. "Get it on the ground!"

Rikke obviously had battlemages in her command, because when the dragon came into range, there were more Destruction spells aimed at it than she and Marcurio could manage, soon joined by more arrows than she'd ever seen in the air at once. With all that, the dragon was unable to stay airborne for more than a few minutes, then crashed so hard it shook the ground. She ran forward, ready to finish it off, but before she reached it, it succumbed to its wounds.

She stopped, putting her mace back on her belt as the body burst into flame and began to dissolve. There was no point in praying for its soul, she knew, since she felt that pushing into her, but she did so anyway. "Akatosh, father of dragons," she said softly, "grant his soul as much peace as it is capable of, now that it is part of me."

She thought she felt a tiny trace of reassurance, and took comfort from that even though she was aware it might have been her imagination. "Thank you," she whispered, before returning to Rikke while Marcurio collected the leftover bones and scales.

"What a magnificent creature," Rikke said. "And strong, incredibly so. Even a frost troll couldn't withstand four mages and a company of archers for more than a second or two."

"They are creatures only in the sense of being created by the gods, not in the sense of bears or elk," Yssha said. "They are as intelligent as you or I. I regret that I must destroy them, and do so only because it is necessary for others to live free of their domination."

"That's a good enough reason for me," Rikke said firmly. "Now, about that caravan, please?"

"Yes, of course." Yssha mentally shook herself. "A wagon, heavily laden and well guarded, going from Riften to Windhelm. Anuriel said it would have to move slowly, so it would seem we have a good chance to catch it."

"Excellent work. I knew you'd bring back something useful. It just so happens, I've got some scouts along the road. Meet up with them, and together see if you can't overpower the caravan."

"We need some food first, if you have no objection."

"None at all. Just get on the road as soon as you've eaten and rested. Intercepting that shipment could be vital."

After following Pathfinder for a couple of hours, Yssha and Marcurio came across a wrecked wagon, with several Stormcloaks setting up camp around it. They immediately went into stealth mode and retreated into the trees, out of earshot. "This is a complication. We are outnumbered, but Pathfinder indicates the troops we are to meet are beyond the camp. I see no good way around, however."

"I didn't see any either," Marcurio said. "But it's only a couple of hours till dark. As long as we can keep out of sight, we can wait till they fall asleep. That'll even out the odds a bit, even assuming they post two sentries and we're not able to kill them silently."

Yssha nodded. "That would be best, I think. We wait, then."

When it got dark, they crept closer, until they could hear the Stormcloaks talking. Apparently one of their number would be going ahead to Windhelm, but not until dawn. There was to be only one sentry on duty at a time, and they were arguing about who would have to take each shift. Then the mead came out, and all but the first-shift guard began drinking.

Yssha purred silently at that, making note of which were the heaviest drinkers, since they would be the least likely to be ready to fight immediately on waking if something went wrong. Finally the sleeping bags came out, and not long after, the snoring began.

Good as Marcurio was at sneaking in heavy armor, Yssha's light armor and Khajiit abilities made her better, so it was she who snuck up behind the sentry and silently cut his throat. He went down fast, with her slowing his fall enough that he wouldn't hit the ground with a thud.

Then they started on the five sleepers, killing two, but the third woke for some reason and realized what was going on. "We're under attack!" he yelled, struggling to get out of his sleeping bag. Yssha got him with her mace before he could make it, then took care of one of the remaining two before he was even fully awake, and Marcurio got the last one.

That was when she heard footsteps approaching from uphill. She prepped a flame spell, then called, "Who is there?"

"It's me, Hadvar," came the reply. She recognized the voice, and let the spell subside. "Our sentry heard scuffling, so my men and I came to check it out."

"Yssha and Marcurio here," she said. "We were supposed to meet you, but my direction-finding spell brought us to the wrong side of this camp. So we were forced to wait until dark to attack them."

"Huh. Well, we're here now. We'll take over guarding the wagon until someone can come pick up the contents."

"We will notify Legate Rikke," Yssha said as the Imperials lighted a couple of torches and took up positions. "We had best get back to her immediately."

"Are you sure you shouldn't wait for daylight?"

"She seemed to have a sense of urgency about this, so I do not believe so. The moonlight is bright enough we should have no problems."

"We'll see you later, then. Take care."

"We shall. Until later."

As soon as they were out of sight, Yssha 'ported them to outside the Rift encampment, and they walked to the command tent. Rikke was there, which made Yssha wonder if the Legate ever slept. "We have the wagon, but it is broken down. Hadvar and his men remained to secure it while we informed you."

"Good work." Rikke handed her a coin purse. "I'll send some men with a wagon to collect the prize. We can use the weapons here, and I'll send the coin to Solitude."

Yssha nodded. "What are my next orders?"

"Meet the men outside Fort Greenwall and help them take it over. When that's done, report to General Tullius."

"Yes, Legate."

* * *

Author's Note: Getting to the wagon first happened in a couple of my play-throughs, and I preferred that to trying Hadvar's plans, so I went with it here.

Also, a question for any readers with me this far. Do you want more frequent postings, or longer ones? As a general average, I write about a thousand words a day. More if I get on a roll, fewer if I run into story problems, but that's the average.


	22. A Cornered Rat

.

Chapter 22 - A Cornered Rat

After a comfortable night at home, the two returned to their spot near the Rift encampment, and took the road north toward Fort Greenwall. The officer in charge welcomed her, then said, "Both of you are battlemages, right?"

"Yes," Yssha replied. "Marcurio is better than I at Destruction magic, however."

"What's more important, you can cast them. And Restoration, from what I'm told. So I want both of you to stay out of melee combat, and pick off individuals, archers most importantly. We'll get anyone who needs healing out to you if there're too many for our regular Healer."

"Yes, sir." Yssha readied her Flames spell, while Marcurio preferred to cast Lightning Bolt. Both were ready when the officer nodded, then led the charge. This, Yssha decided as they began picking archers off the fort's wall, was definitely preferable to the chaos of mass melee, and with less chance of harming her own side. Though it would be nice to know how things were going inside the walls.

By the time the walls were empty, wounded were reporting, and she switched to Healing while Marcurio kept an eye on the walls for any Stormcloaks who might show themselves. And some did; she heard the occasional crackle of lightning as she worked on the wounded.

Eventually, the commanding officer came out of the fort and approached with a tired smile. "It's over, Dragonborn. Thanks for your help; it made a real difference having two extra mages on hand."

"I am glad." Yssha purred audibly. "Legate Rikke told us to report to General Tullius when the fort was taken, so unless you have anything else for us. we should do that."

"Nothing else, Dragonborn," he said. "Thanks again."

This time, to her surprise, they found General Tullius sitting in the dining room, rather than in the map room. She wasn't sure if she should interrupt, but he saw them and stood, smiling. "I see you're back. I assume that means Fort Greenwall is ours?"

"Yes, General. There were no unusual difficulties that I am aware of."

"Taking control of the Rift was a great victory. Ulfric must be rather nervous with us so close to his doorstep." He smiled. "Are you ready for another assignment, Tribune?"

"I need to speak to someone in Riverwood, and possibly someone in Riften, if I may have a day or two."

"Feel free. We're a few days ahead of the timeline I was hoping for. But you're needed in Winterhold as soon as you can get there. Try not to take more than three days before you meet Rikke at our Winterhold encampment."

"That should be more than enough time," Yssha said. "Thank you, General. I will get there as soon as I am able."

* * *

It was late morning when they entered the Sleeping Giant Inn and found Delphine working at her alchemy lab. She glanced at them briefly, then returned her attention to what she was doing. "Go on downstairs. I'll meet you there as soon as this potion is done."

Yssha used the key Delphine had given her to open the secret room, and they waited. About two minutes later, she joined them. "Vex got the job done. She wants to tell you all about it next time you're at the Flagon."

"What was she able to find out?" Yssha asked.

"The Thalmor aren't behind the dragons coming back. They think we are, and they're looking for Esbern, the archivist I thought was dead." Delphine looked grim. "we've got to find Esbern before the Thalmor do. He'll know how to stop the dragons if anybody does. Vex said she thinks he may be in the Ratway Warrens, but that you'll need to talk to Brynjolf to be sure."

"I have some three days before I must report to Legate Rikke in Winterhold, so I can search for Esbern first, yes."

"Yeah. I heard you went and joined the Legion and you've been playing soldier. You've got your priorities backward."

"In your opinion, perhaps. From my viewpoint, I am gaining combat experience I will need to face Alduin and other dragons. I am also using the time to gain equipment and I hope a weapon that will be more effective against them than steel, or even dwarven metal."

Delphine shook her head. "You did just fine against that one you killed with me. You're ready."

Yssha took a deep breath. "I am the Dovahkiin, the Dragonborn." It was taking a major effort of will not to yell, maybe even Shout, but she forced herself to maintain outward calm. "I will decide when I am ready to face Alduin. You will not."

"You're just going to get yourself killed in this stupid war, and there won't be anyone to face Alduin! Or permanently kill the others!

"You forget yourself, _Blade_. You claim to serve the Dragonborn, but you seem to be doing your best to control, instead. I am leaving for Riften now. I will return with Esbern, if he is indeed there."

She turned and left before her temper got the better of her. Marcurio followed her outside and to a secluded spot, and they left for Riften.

On the way from the ruined tower to the city gates, Marcurio said, "Congratulations, dearling. I think I'd have sent a lightning bolt or two her way if I'd been in your place."

"I wanted to," Yssha admitted. "I very much wanted to. Something about her brings out the worst aspects of my nature. I dislike her, but for now, at least, I must work with her. I will not work _for_ her, or according to her priorities."

Marcurio smiled at her affectionately. "That's my beautiful strong love. I hope this Esbern isn't as irritating as his fellow Blade."

"I am confident he will not be," Yssha said. "Delphine is the only person I have ever met who affects me that way. Some of the Thalmor might, but I have no interactions with them aside from defending myself, so I may never find out."

* * *

When they got within sight of the gates, Marcurio chuckled. "Looks like the Legion didn't waste any time."

"It would seem not." Yssha purred. The gate guards wore Legion armor, rather than Riften city guards'.

When they approached, the guards smiled, and one opened the gates. "Welcome, Drag - er, Praefect Yssha. Unless you've been promoted again."

Yssha purred. "General Tullius has most generously named me Tribune, though I do not believe I have done anything to deserve it. He is my superior officer, however, so I accepted."

"Tribune Yssha, then. Congratulations. Is there anything we can do for you, sir?"

"Not at the moment, but I thank you. I wish you a peaceful watch."

"Thank you, sir." When she and Marcurio went through the gates, and they were closed behind them, she turned to her husband, twitching ears and tail.

"A smile?" he asked.

"Yes, excellent!" It was wonderful he was beginning to pick up Khajiit expressions. "I am pleased with their professionalism. I wonder who the Empire picked as Jarl?"

"No idea," Marcurio said. "But Brynjolf will know, I'm sure."

"Of course he will. To the Guild, then."

Once they were in the Ragged Flagon, she went over to Brynjolf.

"Heyla, lass!" he greeted her. "Been making a name for yourself out in the big bad world, have you?"

Yssha cat-grinned. "Heyla yourself, my oversized friend. Who is Jarl now?"

"Maven Black-Briar, so the Guild won't suffer. We were afraid it'd be someone who'd crack down on us, like Mjoll the Lioness."

Riften might have been better off with Mjoll, and the Guild gone, Yssha thought, but kept it to herself. "Do you know of anyone named Esbern?"

Brynjolf nodded. "Crazy old man living down in the Ratway Warrens. But if you want to talk to him, you better be ready for trouble; those damn Thalmor are after him, too."

"I shall hurry, then. Thank you."

"Hey, Yssha!" Vex called, as she was getting ready to leave.

Yssha turned to her. "Yes?"

"Thanks for that job. It was a nice party, I got the information Delphine wanted, rescued one of our guys the bastard Thalmor were torturing, and killed five or six of the elves. Found some nice loot, too. If you have any more jobs you can't do, keep me in mind."

Yssha wished yet again that she could laugh in a way most humans would recognize. "I shall, most definitely," she said. "I am acting on that information now, in fact, and from what Brynjolf just told me, killing more Thalmor may be involved."

Vex grinned. "Can I come along?"

"Certainly. You must know more of the Warrens than I do, since I have never been there."

"Let's go, then." Vex straightened from her usual slouch against a pile of packing crates, and headed for the Cistern. But instead of going through the storeroom, she opened a door Yssha had never used. "The Warrens are this way."

It was only a few seconds before she heard a voice saying, "This is too easy," followed by a Thalmor soldier attacking. Vex, in the lead, blocked his attack, but she only had a dagger, so Yssha sent a firebolt at his face, blinding him, and Vex finished him.

A lightning bolt sizzled past both of them, and a scream from the corridor they were approaching told her Marcurio had seen another enemy. "There is probably at least one more soldier up there, Vex," she said. "Let me take the lead for a few minutes."

"Go ahead. A mace is a lot more effective against armor than a dagger." They traded places, and Yssha entered the corridor. Yes, there was another soldier, as well as one of their sorcerers staggering to his feet, injured by Marcurio's lightning.

"Fus ... Ro Dah!" and he was down again, and the soldier behind him was trhown back. Vex went for the mage while Yssha ran ahead, going for the soldier. He had recovered by the time she reached him, so it was one of the more enjoyable fights she'd had in a while. It ended when he tried to block one of her blows with his sword, and it broke. That left him basically helpless, which she took advantage of.

Vex grinned at her. "Life has gotten interesting with you around, Yssha. Though we could've done without the Imperial soldiers taking over from the town guards."

Yssha shrugged. "This war must end, and I am a loyal citizen. But I have no impact who is chosen as Jarl, for instance. Nor should I."

Vex chuckled. "Avoiding politics, huh?"

"As much as I am allowed to, yes. I dislike them, and I am about as politically skilled and diplomatic as ... oh, as my mace, for example."

Vex and Marcurio both laughed at that, Marcurio continuing to chuckle quietly for several seconds as they continued their trip. They met no further serious obstructions, and eventually came to a locked door. Yssha used Pathfinder to assure it was the right one, then knocked.

A small slot opened in the door, and a man said, "Go away!"

"Esbern, open the door. I am a friend."

"What? No, that's not me! Go away!"

"It is all right. Delphine sent me."

"I'm very dangerous. Don't make me come out there and hurt you."

Yssha sighed. "Delphine said to remember the 30th of Frostfall."

Ah." Esbern sounded surprised. "Indeed, indeed. I do remember. Give me a minute."

The three waited, hearing multiple locks unlocked and chains removed while Esbern muttered about his progress. Finally he said, "Ah, that does it," and the door opened. "Come in, come in. Make yourselves at home."

Once he had the door closed and re-locked, he went on. "So Delphine sent you. That means she is still working, after all these years, even though I warned her it was hopeless."

"What do you mean, hopeless?" Yssha asked.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Esbern demanded. "What more needs to happen before you all wake up and see what's going on? Alduin has returned. I tried to tell them. They wouldn't listen. Fools! It's all come true ... All I could do was watch our doom appear."

"What are you talking about? Yes, he is called the World-Eater, but that does not mean the end of the world is inevitable."

Esbern stared at her in evident disbelief. "Only a Dragonborn can save us. Even the gods have abandoned us."

"I promise you it is not hopeless, Esbern. I am Dragonborn."

He stared at her, his expession a mix of disbelief and exultation. "You're Dragonborn? You came here, and you're Dragonborn?"

If he were an archivist specializing in dragons, perhaps she could prove it to him. "Geh. Zu'u los Dovahkiin."

"Yes. I am Dragonborn," he translated, his expression becoming eager. "Then there is hope. Take me to Delphine." He began scurrying around, gathering some things and stuffing them into a small pack. "That's enough. Let's be off. When he finished unlocking the door again, they stepped out into the corridor.

"We must be careful," Yssha said. "There are Thalmor hunting us."

Esbern chuckled. "Don't worry about me. I'm not as helpless as I look."

Which he proved when a thalmor mage attacked from the floor below. No, someone who could conjure up multiple flame and frost atronachs was certainly not helpless, Yssha thought with amusement. He could probably protect them, rather than the reverse.

Not that he had to, since they encountered only that one group of Thalmor. Vex left the group when they got back to the Ragged Flagon, and Esbern was impatient, so Yssha paused only long enough to thank her, then she, Marcurio and Esbern went through the Cistern and up to the city, then walked to the city gates, getting salutes from legionnaires along the way.

"What's that all about?" Esbern asked. "They're treating you like an officer, not with the respect due a Dragonborn."

"I am also a Tribune in the Legion," Yssha told him. "I have asked to be treated as befits that rank, at least until the war is over. I might point out that Delphine strongly disapproves of my decision to gain combat experience and better equipment before I face Alduin in battle."

"She does tend to be a bit headstrong," Esbern conceded. "That can be an advantage at times, though."

Once through the gates, they went up the road toward the ruined tower, and Esbern objected. "We need to get to Delphine. This is the wrong direction!"

"Not really." Yssha sighed. "It is not public knowledge, and I plan to keep it that way as long as possible, but my greats-grandmother taught me a spell that allows me to teleport anywhere I have been before."

"Teleport?" Esbern sounded intrigued, not disbelieving. "Your greats-grandmother must be a powerful mage, to have taught you that herself. May I ask her name? I may know her, or at least of her."

Yssha purred. "Certainly; that is public knowledge. Our clan and family's revered ancestress is Ysshaya."

"Ysshaya," Esbern said. "_The_ Ysshaya, of Oblivion Crisis fame?"

"Yes." Yssha was pleased at his reaction. "As Arch-Mage at the Arcane University, she had much time and help for her research. She developed several useful spells, and is still working on others, such as Telepathy."

"That one has so much potential for abuse, I hope she fails with it," Esbern said. "I really wouldn't like to have Thalmor Justiciars, for instance, have access to it."

"An excellent point," Yssha agreed. "I had been thinking of it more as a way to communicate with Marcurio when we are apart, but that may be why Greats-Grandmother is having such trouble. Or saying she is having such trouble."

The rest of the walk to the ruined tower was quiet. When they got there, she took Marcurio's and Esbern's hands, cautioning Esbern about the possible nausea of a first teleport.

When they arrived, he did look a little green, but insisted he was fine and needed to get to Delphine as soon as possible, so the two led him to the Sleeping Giant and inside.

Esbern spotted the innkeeper immediately, and approached her. "Delphine! It ... it's good to see you. It's been ... a long time."

Delphine looked startled, then said, "It's good to see you, too, Esbern. It's been too long, old friend. Too long. Well, then. You made it, safe and sound. Good. Come on, I have a place we can talk. Orgnar, hold down the bar for a minute, will you?"

"Yeah, sure."

Yssha wasn't sure if Delphine's invitation extended to her and Marcurio, but they followed the pair. When everyone was there, Delphine turned to Esbern. "Now then. I assume you know about ..."

"Oh yes!" Esbern exclaimed. "Dragonborn! Indeed, yes. This changes everything, of course. There's no time to lose. We must locate ... let me show you. I know I had it here, somewhere... Give me ... just a moment ..."

"Esbern, what ..."

Esbern put a book on the table and opened it. "Ah! Here it is. Come, let me show you."

Once everyone was gathered arouund him, he pointed. "You see, right here. Sky Haven Temple, constructed around one of the main Akaviri military camps in the Reach, during their conquest of Skyrim."

Delphine looked at Yssha. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

"Shh!" Esbern hushed them. "This is where they built Alduin's Wall, to set down in stone all their accumulated dragonlore. A hedge against the forgetfulness of centuries. A wise and foresighted policy, in the event. Despite the far-reaching fame of Alduin's Wall at the time - one of the wonders of the ancient world - its location was lost."

Delphine frowned. "Esbern. What are you getting at?"

"You mean ... you don't mean to say you haven't heard of Alduin's Wall? Any of you?"

"Let's pretend we haven't," Delphine said. "What's Alduin's Wall and what does it have to do with stopping the dragons?"

"Alduin's Wall was where the ancient Blades recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return. Part history, part prophecy. Its location has been thought lost for centuries, but I've found it again. Not lost, you see, just forgotten. The Blades archives held so many secrets ... I was only able to save a few scraps ..."

"So you think that Alduin's Wall will tell us how to defeat Alduin?" Delphine asked.

"Well, yes, but ... there's no guarantee, of course."

"Sky Haven Temple it is, then. I knew you'd have something for us, Esbern."

Then Delphine approached Yssha. "I know the area of the Reach that Esbern's talking about. Near what's now known as Karthspire, in the Karth River canyon. We can meet you there, or all travel together, your call."

"We shall have to meet there," Yssha replied. "If you could tell me how to get there, I would be grateful."

Delphine didn't look happy, but also didn't argue, which Yssha found a relief. "From Riverwood? The road south through Falkreath is the most direct route. Or you could catch the carriage from Whiterun to Markarth and then approach from the west. Either way, the Reach is wild country these days. The Forsworn are everywhere. Best be careful."

Then, grudgingly, Delphine said, "It might be safer to travel separately, at that - attract less attention that way. Don't worry, I'll get Esbern there in one piece. We'll wait for you near Karthspire. Good luck."

"Thank you, and the same to you."


	23. Rescue from Fort Kastav

.

Chapter 23 - Rescue from Fort Kastav

The two of them took a carriage from Whiterun to Winterhold, since she'd never been there. When they got out, she debated going to the College that towered over the ... city? More like a village, but maybe it deserved the term as a Hold capital. She decided against it, on the basis that she had too many things on her plate already, but that she would return when she had more time. Instead, she and Marcurio began trekking toward the Winterhold Imperial encampment, where Rikke was waiting. She wasted no time briefing them.

"Your objective is Fort Kastav. The rebels are keeping some of our men prisoner there. I aim to turn that into an advantage. I've sent Hadvar and his men to scout out the area. You are to meet them, find a way to slip in, free our men, and take over the fort. They won't be expecting an attack from the inside. This won't be easy, but that's why I'm sending you. Think you can handle it?"

"It should not be a problem," Yssha replied, studying the map. Her closest teleport target to the fort - other than Windhelm, which was not a wise choice - was Nightgate Inn. "Truly, this is more in tune with my skills than mass combat."

"I'll let you get to it, then. As usual, report to General Tullius when you've accomplished the mission."

"Yes, Legate." On that note she and Marcurio left the camp and teleported outside Nightgate Inn, then began walking. It was colder than she really liked, but not enough to bother retrieving the coat she'd worn on the first trip to High Hrothgar, especially knowing how it would hamper her in combat. About six inches of fresh snow slowed them, making what had looked like about a two-hour trip on the map take more like five, and both of them were tired when they found Hadvar and his men.

"Hey there!" Hadvar called when they came in sight of him. "Can you believe this place? So cold my breath turns to icicles! What are we even doing up here?"

"Legion armor is not designed for cold weather," Yssha agreed. At least she was covered all over, and had her fur as well!

"Guess Tullius wants to make sure everything's locked down before launching a serious campaign for Eastmarch," Hadvar continued. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here. We're outnumbered again, more so than when we took that wagon. But if we work together, we can pull this off."

"You have been scouting; have you devised a plan to free the prisoners?"

Hadvar nodded. "There's a grate outside the wall. Looks like it hasn't been used in years. I don't think the Stormies even know it's there. From the look of it, I'd bet it leads straight into the prison.

"I need you to sneak in there, and free our men, killing anyone inside as you go. Once you've rescued the prisoners, head out to the courtyard. We'll stand guard out here and rush in as soon as we hear fighting."

"We need to rest and eat," Yssha said. "The snow made our trip longer than we expected."

"Of course," Hadvar said. "We're out of sight of the fort, so we can even give you something hot. Go whenever you're ready."

By the time they had eaten and were rested enough, though, it was only a couple of hours from midnight, so Yssha found Hadvar. "It should not take us more than an hour or two to free the prisoners, if it can be done. It does not matter to us whether we go in by night or day, because it is always poorly lit inside, but if the main battle is to be in the courtyard, perhaps we should wait and go in shortly before dawn."

Hadvar nodded. "Good thinking. Get some sleep, and I'll have you wakened an hour before sunrise."

"Thank you, my friend." Yssha purred briefly. "We shall borrow a tent, in that case, and see you then."

As promised, they were wakened while it was still full dark. Breakfast was waiting, so they ate quickly and started for the fort. Despite the darkness, they went into stealth mode when they neared the fort, and Yssha concentrated on hearing and scent as well as her night vision to find the grate. She'd have described it as a trapdoor, but it did have a small grated area, so she shrugged. Since Hadvar had said it was unused, she had her little oil vial ready, and she applied several drops to the hinges..

They didn't enter immediately, giving the oil a few minutes to seep into the hinges before Yssha tried to open it. It moved, but not easily, so she applied more oil and waited again. This time it opened, which she did slowly to avoid alerting anyone inside. The light inside was dim, as expected, but seemed brighter after the darkness outside. She looked around, seeing that Hadvar had been right about where the grate led; they were indeed in the fort's prison.

They moved along cautiously, not seeing any cells on this level, but coming across a barred section of floor with the sound of snoring coming through it. They needed to get downstairs, then, so they kept searching until they found a stairway down - along with the first Sormcloak soldier they had seen since entering. Marcurio was closest, so he did the honors, then searched the body and stood, holding up a key.

To Yssha's relief - and a bit of disbelief - they were able to free the prisoners with no Stormcloak interference, but with the noise the former prisoners were making while they armored up and found weapons, that wouldn't last. It didn't, but the prisoners also took care of almost all of them while Yssha and Marcurio were restricted to the Stormcloaks who fell behind.

The two tried to get ahead, so they could get into the courtyard and create enough noise to bring Hadvar and his men in, including maybe a Shout or two, but they couldn't get past the battle. The prisoners spilled into the courtyard first, attacking the alerted Stormcloaks, and the battle degenerated into the usual chaos where their area attacks, like her Shouts, would do more harm than good. They did manage to use ranged attacks to eliminate the Stormcloaks in the guard tower, but then they were back to targeting stragglers and healing injured Legionnaires. Some, of course, they couldn't help, but fortunately those were few.

By the time the fighting stopped, Yssha was hoping there wouldn't be any, or at least many, more of these. Despite what General Tullius and her own teachers had told her about the importance of support personnel, she didn't like being one of them. Her magic was adequate, but her primary abilities were combat-related, and it was frustrating not being able to use them.

Hadvar was grinning when he approached her. "Great work! Get back and report our success. I'll stay here and clean up the mess. We were lucky, only three of ours dead. Glad you were here. Couldn't have done it without you!"

* * *

On the way up to Dragonsreach, intending to clean up and go on to Solitude, a Companion called to them. "Dragonborn? A word, please?"

Yssha paused with a shrug, and began climbing the stairs to Jorrvaskr. When she was close enough, he smiled. "I'm Vilkas, Lady Dragonborn. If you have a moment, our Harbinger would like to speak to you."

"I think I can spare the time," Yssha agreed. "If he does not object to us visiting before we clean up."

Vilkas laughed. "Blood and grime are hardly strangers to Jorrvaskr. Do either of you need Healing, though?"

"No," Marcurio said. "The blood's from the ones we were fighting, but thanks anyway."

"Good." Vilkas opened the door for them, waving them through with a flourish. "Welcome to the Meadhall of the Companions! Most of us are out training or on jobs, but Kodlak's down in the living area. I'll show you the way."

The two followed him down a set of stairs and through a double door, then along a carpeted corridor to where an older man with white hair and beard was sitting at a table. He rose as Vilkas led them forward. "Good greetings, Lady Dragonborn," he said with a smile. "You're not exactly what any of us expected. Though I'm sure you've heard that often."

"Often enough," Yssha agreed with an exaggerated sigh. "What do you wish of me, Harbinger?"

"To offer you a place with us," Kodlak said with a smile. "There is no question of your honor or combat skills, so you wouldn't have to undergo the usual tests, and the title of Companion is the best acknowledgement I can offer of those qualities. Will you join us as a Companion, Lady Dragonborn?"

She was dubious, but something told her there was more to this offer than he was saying, and it was important, so she nodded. "I would be deeply honored to be counted as a Companion, Harbinger. If there is a service I may do you when I am less preoccupied, feel free to ask."

He looked relieved. "There is something, yes, Lady Dragonborn, but this is clearly not the time to speak of it, with you so obviously fresh out of combat, so I won't keep you. If you would visit again, when you have an hour or so free, I'll explain the favor and why I ask it." He grinned. "Welcome to the Companions, Yssha of Ysshaya. Now go clean up, and do what you must until we may meet again."

"Yes, Harbinger." Yssha purred. She liked this Kodlak, and it would be pleasant to do something about whatever was troubling him, when time permitted. But for now, she needed to get to Solitude.

* * *

General Tullius was back in his usual place in the map room when they got to Castle Dour. He seemed deeply absorbed, so she didn't say anything, not wanting to disturb him, though she did get close enough to study the map.

Finally, the General looked up. "Fort Kastav is ours, then?"

"Yes, General. And the prisoners have been freed."

"Excellent. Now that we have Winterhold, I can garrison some troops there until I'm ready to march on Windhelm. I have come to rely heavily upon you. It is only fitting that you join the upper echelon. I am hereby elevating you to the rank of Legate. On behalf of the Empire, and myself, please accept this gift along with your new rank. Congratulations."

She accepted the enchanted gauntlets he handed her with a polite bow. "What is my next assignment, sir?"

"You've little time to glory in your accomplishments. We're gathering for our final assault on Windhelm. Report to our camp in Eastmarch."

"Not another gods-cursed fort!" Marcurio exclaimed. "Can't you put us to use somewhere we're more than mostly-redundant snipers and healers? She's _Dragonborn_, for Akatosh's sake!"

Tullius looked angry at first, then that changed to a thoughtful expression. "You have a point, battlemage," he admitted. "Having her around is a benefit to morale, but I agree, she is capable of far more than we have been using her for."

He turned to Yssha. "Do you have other things you think necessary, Dragonborn?"

Yssha nodded. "I must travel to Sky Haven Temple to find a way to defeat Alduin, yes. But ending this war is also essential."

Tullius nodded slowly. "We can handle the Fort Amol recovery if I add another battlemage and a healer to their force. Just find me at the Eastmarch camp when you're done at the Temple, because I have a feeling you're going to be crucial to the final battle for Windhelm. Today is Turdas. I would like to attack sometime Sundas morning. Do you think you can be there by then?"

"Yes, sir. That should give me enough time. If I can find a courier, I will send a message as soon as I can give you a more exact time. And thank you."

* * *

Author's Note: Yes, I was getting tired of the "go to camp, take a fort, back to Tullius" things. I hope you will forgive me for taking a break to do something else before the Windhelm battle.


	24. Alduin's Wall

.

Chapter 24 - Alduin's Wall

From her map, the best way to get to Sky Haven Temple was from Markarth, then east. They'd had to postpone their first visit there, so they would have to get Bjorlam take them instead of teleporting. Leaving their Dragonsreach apartment, they went downstairs, joining the Jarl and Farengar for breakfast at Balgruuf's invitation. They exchanged news, mostly about the war and happenings in the hold, with Farengar changing the subject to his dragon research when the conversation ebbed. Then the Jarl asked, "Will you be here for Lydia's wedding?"

Oblivion, that had totally slipped her mind! "I seem to have lost track of time in all the excitement," she said ruefully. "When is it?"

"The day after tomorrow," Balgruuf said. "In the temple of Kynareth, first thing in the morning."

Yssha did some quick calculations. Whiterun to Markarth was an all-day trip, so they wouldn't get to Sky Haven Temple today, but getting to it and doing whatever was necessary there should only take a few hours of the following day, so she nodded. "We ought to be back tomorrow afternoon sometime," she said. "So yes, we will be there."

"Good." Balgruuf smiled. "I'll tell her. She's been a bit concerned that the war or something else would keep you from coming."

"Had it not been for your reminder, it probably would have," Yssha admitted. Fortunately, weddings here didn't take as long as they did in Cyrodiil, so she could even spend an hour or so at the reception. "But now that breakfast is over, both we and you have duties. If you will excuse us?"

"Of course."

Everyone rose when the Jarl did, and went their separate ways. Yssha and Marcurio left Dragonsreach, stopping by Warmaiden's on the way out of the city to drop off the scales and bones from the third dragon, the one whose name she hadn't found out. Adrianne thought one more dragon's worth of scales would be enough to finish Yssha's armor, and also thought in another week or so she'd have a method for smithing the bones worked out, and be able to make Marcurio's armor and weapons for both of them.

That was good news, and Yssha was purring when they left the shop. Progress on the dragon smithing, a pleasant day for travel, and knowing she'd be there for Lydia's wedding had her in an excellent mood. Even better, Bjorlam was available, and grinned at their approach. "Need a ride, Lady Dragonborn?"

"Yes, please, to Markarth"

"Climb aboard, and we'll be off."

* * *

As usual on the road, and in a clattering carriage, no wildlife bothered them, and they only encountered one bandit, who ran off when he saw two warriors getting out of the carriage to confront him, one readying a spell, the other with a mace. When they got back to their seats, Bjorlam turned around, grinning. "I always like carrying fighters or mages, and you just saw why."

"Yeah," Marcurio said. "Bandits aren't too brave when they run into someone who's both willing and able to fight."

"True," Bjorlam said. "Makes for a quiet trip. Hey, would either of you have any tales to help pass the time? Not that they need to be true. A quiet trip is nice, but it can be boring."

So they took turns telling stories, Bjorlam included, for the rest of the trip. Bjorlam let them off, saying he was spending the night at the stable if they needed to return in the morning, but Yssha assured him they wouldn't be done until late the following day. He nodded. "In that case, if I can find a fare back to Whiterun, I'll take it. Can't afford to just sit idle unless I have to."

"That is fine," Yssha said, then she and Marcurio entered the city, seeing an inn just to the left of the gates. It was bigger than the Bannered Mare, and as they walked to the bar it seemed well-kept, so when the barkeep approached, Yssha had no problem with ordering supper and renting a room. To her relief, either nobody knew or nobody cared who she was, or at least didn't say anything to her about it. Supper was quiet, after all the storytelling, and riding was exhausting when it was an all-day thing, so they went upstairs to their room and were sleeping shortly thereafter.

The next morning after breakfast, they left Markarth, waving to Bjorlam as they passed the stables. Not too much further down the road they found a suitable teleport target, and Yssha committed it to memory. Then she cast Pathfinder, setting it for the Temple rather than the Karthspire. They might be the same place, but she saw no reason to go through one to find the other unless absolutely necessary.

That led them east along the road for awhile, then north across a bridge. Then it went east again, across the Karth River, and up a large hill or small mountain. Finally she came to a large flat area with what looked like a cave opening into the mountainside. Before they could get to it, though, she heard the characteristic roar of a dragon, and readied herself for battle, relieved to see Esbern and Delphine emerge from the cave.

With three of them casting Destruction spells and Delphine using her bow, the dragon eventually crashed to the ground, and she could attack more effectively using her mace while the others continued their distance attacks. When it finally collapsed, she caught her breath and healed herself while it disintegrated, its soul pushing into her, opening up Krii, for the Marked for Death shout. That was the last of her locked words, and she wondered what would happen now that she had none left. She suspected she'd keep the souls, but wasn't sure.

"There has got to be a better way to bring down a dragon," she grumbled to Marcurio as they entered the cave after collecting bones, scales, and loot. "It is not too bad when we have help, like a full Legion encampment, but just the two of us would take forever."

"Or seem like it - Look out!"

She grabbed her mace as he fired a lightning bolt and Esbern conjured some atronachs. She only got one blow in, but it was enough to finish the single enemy who'd gotten past the mages. She studied the body. It looked like a Nord, but in some kind of odd fur armor and a peculiar headdress, with a sword that looked like it was studded with fangs or claws. She took everything the man was carrying, then joined the rest. "What were those?" she asked.

"Forsworn," Delphine said. "This one," she nudged another body with her toe, "is one of their shamans, a Briarheart. They're tougher than the average Forsworn, but no match for Esbern." She glanced at the old man with some fondness.

"So I saw," Yssha replied. "He warned me he was dangerous when we first met. I was dubious at first, but learned otherwise when we were attacked by Thalmor."

"Yeah, he told me about that." Delphine looked grim. "Damn elves. Altmer should be banned from the Empire."

"Limit that to Thalmor, and I would agree," Yssha said slowly. "Not all Altmer are Thalmor, or even sympathetic to them."

Delphine didn't reply to that, just said, "Let's get going," and started walking deeper into the cave. Yssha and the others followed, Yssha hoping Delphine wasn't really that prejudiced, though given some of her other attitudes, maybe she was. But at least the woman seemed to be trying to avoid an argument.

They didn't encounter any more Forsworn. What they did find, at the top of a flight of stairs, was a puzzle, with a raised bridge to the left. "This looks promising," Delphine commented.

Esbern agreed. "Yes. Definitely early Akaviri stonework here."

"We've got to get this bridge down," Delphine said. "These pillars must have something to do with it."

Again, Esbern agreed. "Yes. These are Akaviri symbols. Let's see ... you have the symbol for 'King'... and 'Warrior'... And of course the symbol for 'Dragonborn.' That's the one that appears to have a sort of arrow shape pointing downward at the bottom."

Yssha looked around for the sort of clues Nords usually left near their puzzles, but apparently the Akaviri were more security-conscious; she found nothing. Okay, then it was possible they used three of a kind symbology instead of separate images, too. At least that was the simplest thing to try to begin with. Which one, though? King, Warrior, or Dragonborn? She shrugged, deciding to start with the highest rank, and turned all three pillars to show the Dragonborn symbol. The bridge came down with a solid clunk.

"Whatever you did, it worked," Delphine said. "Let's see what else those old Blades left in our way."

The group continued across the bridge and through a corridor, until Yssha almost ran into Esbern's back.

"Why are you stopping?" she asked.

Esbern pointed. "We should be careful here. See these symbols on the floor?"

Delphine moved up beside him. "Hmm, Esbern's right. Look like pressure plates."

Esbern turned to Yssha. "Be careful. We'll cross once it's safe. Probably pulling that chain on the far side will deactivate any traps."

Right, she thought a bit sourly. Send the Dragonborn to deactivate the trap. Or maybe it was because she was the smallest and lightest one there. But try the simplest way first. "Wuld!" That got her across the pressure plates nicely, and she pulled the chain.

"Looks safe now," Delphine said. "Let's move."

Esbern's excitement was obvious. "Yes, yes! I think we must be close to the entrance."

They left the trap room and crossed two more bridges, which took them to large chamber with a carved circle maybe six feet across in the center and, on the opposite wall, a large stone head.

"Wonderful!" Esbern exclaimed. "Remarkably well-preserved, too. Ah... here's the 'blood seal.' Another of the lost Akaviri arts. No doubt triggered by ... well, blood. Your blood, Dragonborn."

Delphine nodded. "Esbern's probably right. Try using your blood on the carved seal on the floor."

Yssha sighed, going over to the circle, which had a shallow depression in the center. She knelt, holding her hand over that, and using her dagger to cut a gash in her palm. When the blood pooled in the depression, Delphine exclaimed, "That's done it! Look, it's coming to life!"

Delphine sounded as excited as Esbern when the huge face rose, revealing a corridor. "That's done it! Look, it's coming to life! You did it. There's the entrance! After you, Dragonborn. You should have the honor of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple."

Esbern agreed. "There's no telling what we might find inside!"

Yssha took the time to heal her hand first, then went through the opening the head had revealed. Once inside, Delphine used her torch to light several braziers along the corridor leading deeper into the temple.

Esbern, to Yssha's amusement and Marcurio's obvious interest, gave a running commentary on the architecture as they walked. "Fascinating! Original Akaviri bas-reliefs ... almost entirely intact! Amazing ... you can see how the Akaviri craftsmen were beginning to embrace the more flowing Nordic style ... "

Delphine chided him gently. "We're here for Alduin's Wall, right, Esbern?"

"Yes, of course. We'll have more time to look around later, I suppose. Let's see what's up ahead."

Delphine chuckled. "We need information, not a lecture on art history."

It wasn't much longer before they got to the main chamber, with a couple of tables in the middle, and what had to be Alduin's Wall at the far end. Esbern confirmed that almost instantly. "Shor's bones! Here it is! Alduin's Wall... so well preserved... I've never seen a finer example of early second era Akaviri sculptural relief ..."

Delphine sighed. "Esbern. Information first, please."

"Yes, yes. Let's see what we have ..." He went to the left end of the Wall and began explaining the carvings as he moved along it.

"Look, here is Alduin! This panel goes back to the beginning of time, when Alduin and the Dragon Cult ruled over Skyrim.

"Here, the humans rebel against their dragon overlords - the legendary Dragon War.

"Alduin's defeat is the centerpiece of the Wall. You see, here he is falling from the sky. The Nord Tongues - masters of the Voice - are arrayed against him."

"So, does it show how they defeated him?" Delphine demanded. "Isn't that why we're here?"

"Patience, my dear," Esbern advised. "The Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is couched in allegory and mythic symbolism. Yes, yes. This here, coming from the mouths of the Nord heroes - this is the Akaviri symbol for 'Shout.' But ... there's no way to know what Shout is meant."

Delphine frowned. "You mean they used a Shout to defeat Alduin? You're sure?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons, or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return."

"So we're looking for a Shout, then. Damn it." Delphine turned her attention to Yssha. "Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Shout that can knock a dragon out of the sky?"

"No, I have never heard of anything like that. But it is one I would very much like to learn."

"I was afraid you were going to say that. I guess there's nothing for it. We'll have to ask the Greybeards for help."

"I can think of no one else with any chance of knowing it."

"You're probably right. I was hoping to avoid having to involve them in this, but it seems we have no choice."

"Why do you dislike the Greybeards? Yssha asked curiously. "They were most helpful and friendly to me when they trained me."

"If they had their way, you'd do nothing but sit up on their mountain with them and talk to the sky, or whatever it is they do. The Greybeards are so afraid of power that they won't use it. Think about it. Have they tried to stop the civil war, or done anything about Alduin? No. And they're afraid of you, of your power. Trust me, there's no need to be afraid. Think of Tiber Septim. Do you think he'd have founded the Empire if he'd listened to the Greybeards?"

"They have reason." Yssha remained as patient as she could. "Power, especially as much power as Shouts hold, is dangerous. And they show no fear of me, nor do they oppose my using the Shouts in combat, since they know it is necessary for me."

"Good. The Greybeards can teach you a lot, but don't let them turn you away from your destiny. You're Dragonborn, and you're the only one who can stop Alduin. Don't forget it."

"That is something I cannot forget," Yssha said. "I shall see Master Arngeir about the Shout as soon as I am able."

"Right. Good thing they've already let you into their little cult. Not likely they'd help Esbern or me if we came calling. We'll look around Sky Haven Temple and see what else the old Blades might have left for us. It's a better hideout than I could have hoped for. Talos guard you."

Yssha decided to look around herself before she left, in case the old Blades had left anything she could use. There was nothing in the main room worth bothering with, but there was a small armory off to the side with an enchanted sword on a stone table, and a book, _Mace Etiquette_, that looked useful, so she took them. There was some Blades armor and a few katanas on one wall, but those she left.

She went back to the main room, approaching Delphine again. "I am curious about this blade. Can you tell me anything about it?"

Delphine examined it, then nodded. "That's Dragonbane. It was forged and enchanted for one of the earliest Dragonborn, and lost when the location of this place was. Should've figured it would be here. The enchantment, according to the stories, adds a bit of shock damage when fighting most enemies, but it does quite a bit of extra damage to dragons. Since you're Dragonborn, it's yours by right. Use it in good health."

Yssha bowed. "I shall do my best. May Talos guide you and Esbern in your new home." She smiled. "I must hurry off, so I do not miss my housecarl's wedding. I shall see you again, I am sure."

"Yes, and in the meantime, I've got some inventorying to do."

Yssha and Marcurio went up the stairs behind the Wall, hoping the Akaviri had the same back door policy for huge structures the Nords usually did. Maybe they did, but the first door they checked revealed a large outdoor training area, which was even better. She promptly teleported them to Whiterun, dropped the scales and bones off at Warmaiden's, then went to the strategy room at Dragonsreach to check the larger-scale map there. It was still early enough that she should be able to find the Eastmarch camp, since it didn't look too far south of Kynesgrove.

She turned to Marcurio and explained her idea. He nodded. "We know about how long it's going to take us at the wedding tomorrow, so before we go, find a courier and send General Tullius a note that we'll be there about half-past nine, to give us time to change from feast clothing back into armor. That way if he wants to pre-position his troops, he'll have time."

"A good thought," Yssha said with a nod.

When both tasks had been done, they spent the rest of the day relaxing at the Bannered Mare. A man called Sam Guevenne offered to take Yssha on in a drinking bout, but before she could refuse, he got a strange expression on his face and withdrew the offer, looking almost frightened. Yssha wondered briefly what that was about, then ignored it and went back to chatting with other patrons.

A couple of Companions wandered in a bit later, and one of them approached her, grinning. "Hello, Shield-Sister. I'm Farkas, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in a mission with me. Uh, once you're not so busy, of course."

"Probably. What is the mission?"

"We've gotten word that there are fragments of Wuuthrad - Ysgramor's battleaxe, you know - in Dustman's Cairn. It should be fun, so I figured you might want to go along."

"If that is important, do not wait on my account," Yssha said. "But if it still needs done when I have the time, I will be happy to accompany you." Ysgramor she knew about, but this was the first she'd heard of his battleaxe.

With that, Farkas went to join his brother, and Yssha decided it was time for her to call it a night.


	25. Battle for Windhelm

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Chapter 25 - Battle for Windhelm

The wedding was nice, the bride beautiful - of course; weren't they always? - and the reception enjoyable, what of it Yssha and Marcurio could stay for. But then it was time to get back to work if they wanted to keep their promise to General Tullius, and they excused themselves to return to their apartment and get into their armor.

With that done, they 'ported to the Eastmarch encampment, to find the General at the head of a full Legion ready to march. He greeted them with, "Right on time, Legate. Let's go. Once we get there, make it to the Palace of the Kings as quickly as you can."

She and Marcurio accompanied him on the march to Windhelm, but not much was said, or needed to be, until they got to the city's gates. Then General Tullius turned to address the troops.

"All right. It's time to deliver the final blow to the Stormcloak rebellion. You have all fought bravely, and sacrificed much to bring us to this point. Ulfric thinks he can hide behind the walls of his castle. But we will fight our way in and drag him out through the rubble to face justice. Because this is the end for them, the Stormcloaks will fight like cornered rats. They will be fierce and crafty. But they are no match for Legionnaires. You are the best and the brightest warriors in Tamriel. Professional soldiers, fearless and devastating. The Emperor will be paying close attention to what happens here today. Men who distinguish themselves will be well rewarded. Ready now! Everyone, with me! For the Empire! For the Legion!"

Then he turned and entered the city, with Rikke, Yssha, and Marcurio right behind him, the rest following as closely as they could. Yssha had only been in the city once before, but she'd been studying what maps she could find, and was pretty sure she could find her way to the Palace through the Stormcloaks and rubble as long as Legionnaires could keep out of her line of fire and the only offensive Shout she knew yet.

She oriented herself, then went left till she came to the first alleyway, then right, using her mace to smash a barrier. Marcurio was close behind her, using his body to protect her back and his magic to protect her front as best he could, though there were enough Stormcloaks that she had to do her share of fighting, mace in her right hand, Healing in her left.

A brief respite as they turned left into the cemetery gave her a chance to finish healing, but when they went up a short staircase and turned right, a wave of Stormcloaks sent them into battle again. She had to use Slow Time to get through them and up more stairs. When she recovered from that one, she was a little disoriented, and had to look around to reorient. That wasn't easy, given how much one part of Windhelm looked like another to a stranger, but if she was where she thought, it was the next right, and through another barricade.

More Stormcloaks. Unrelenting Force sent them tumbling back, and she went left. Still more Stormcloaks, fighting hard but as tired as she was, so she got past them and saw the doors of the Palace. Briefly clear, she ran, catching up with Rikke and Tullius as they entered. She slumped against a wall, trying to catch her breath, as she heard the door slam behind her.

"Secure the door," Tullius ordered.

"Already done, sir," Rikke replied.

The group of Imperials approached Ulfric and Galmar, who were standing in front of the throne. When they were in comfortable speaking distance, the General said, "Ulfric Stormcloak! You are guilty of insurrection, murder of Imperial citizens, the assassination of King Torygg, and high treason against the Empire. It's over."

"Not while I'm still breathing, it's not," Galmar snarled.

"Step aside, Galmar," Rikke said. "We're here to accept Ulfric's surrender."

Ulfric was firm. "I'll never surrender Skyrim into the hands of a corrupt and dying Empire."

"Skyrim doesn't belong to you, Ulfric," Rikke said, sounding almost sad.

Ulfric retorted, "No ... But I belong to her."

"Enough!" Tullius exclaimed. "You are traitors and will die traitors' deaths. Stand down and face public execution, or advance and face summary execution by my hands. It matters little to me. Either way I'll be sending your heads back to Cyrodiil."

"Well? What are we waiting for?" Galmar asked.

All four drew their weapons then, Tullius and Rikke going after Ulfric while Galmar headed for Yssha. It was a brief fight, with both her and Marcurio against him. When he was dead, the two of them turned to the other battle, to see Ulfric struggling to remain on his knees instead of collapsing, while the General sheathed his sword and spoke.

"Well Ulfric, you can't escape from me this time. Any last requests before I send you to ... to wherever you people go when you die."

"Sovngarde ... sir." Rikke was not happy, but calm.

"Right. Well?"

Ulfric's voice was faint, but clear. "Let the Dragonborn be the one to do it. It'll make for a better song."

"Song or not, I just want it done." Tullius handed Yssha an enchanted sword. "Will you do as he wishes, Dragonborn?"

Yssha breathed deeply, accepting the sword. "Since he must die, and wishes it from me, yes. He is wrong in many ways, but I see him as an honorable man." She approached the badly injured Ulfric.

"Do you have a preference, Jarl Ulfric?"

He managed a tight smile, looking up at her. "Your Voice, Dragonborn. I would die as I killed."

"As you wish. Talos grant you entry to Sovngarde." She turned to the rest. "Cover your ears. I will focus as closely as I am able, but there will be out-washes."

Then she turned back to Ulfric. "Fus ... Ro Dah!"

It was messy. It was very messy, Unrelenting Force against someone already on a hard surface, and she heard sounds of vomiting behind her. She wanted to do so herself, but managed not to, somehow. When she turned back to them, General Tullius and Legate Rikke were only pale, and seemed to be recovering.

"Talos be with you," Rikke murmured, looking at what remained of Ulfric.

"What was that, Legate?" Tullius asked.

"Nothing, sir. Just saying goodbye."

Tullius sighed. "Well, the men will be expecting some kind of speech. And we'll need to hand the city over to that Free-Winter fellow."

Rikke nodded. "Brunwulf. Yes, I've sent men to protect him and bring him here. Windhelm will need a government quickly if we are to prevent more violence."

"The Legion will be staying here for quite some time," Tullius pointed out. "I don't expect there to be any further violence."

The group left, to find a large number of Legionnaires waiting. Tullius took a deep breath, and began speaking. "The rebellion is over. Ulfric Stormcloak is dead. His head will be sent to Cyrodiil where it will adorn a spike on the walls of the Imperial City. Let this day be a final warning to all who would still call themselves Stormcloaks.

"We are turning the city over to Brunwulf Free-Winter, an honorable and faithful man. Many of you will be staying in Windhelm to aid the Jarl in restoring order and stamping out any embers of rebellion that may still smolder here. In appreciation for your exemplary service, I am doubling your pay and compensation to the widows of your fallen comrades. I am proud of all of you. All hail the Emperor. All hail his Legionnaires!"

That got loud cheers, not at all to Yssha's surprise.

Then, more quietly, to the four with him, Tullius said, "I hate giving speeches."

"It wasn't so bad," Rikke said. "The men liked it, especially the last part about increased pay."

"They earned it," Tullius said. "I just hope we haven't created a martyr."

"There's bound to be resistance," Rikke pointed out. "There are a lot of Stormcloak camps tucked away in the hills. They'll no doubt strike whenever and wherever they can, for a while. But without Ulfric to inflame their passions, they'll settle down and return to their homes eventually."

"I pray you're right, Legate. In the meantime, we'll continue to root them out and put them to the sword."

Yssha turned to the General. "Sir, is there anything more I can do for the Legion?"

He smiled at her, if not happily. "Ulfric is dead and his army destroyed. There's not much more I could ask of you. However, I suspect the Gods may have further plans for you. That said, Stormcloak true believers are still operating out of hidden military camps in the hills. If you encounter any on your travels, kill them. With luck, they'll soon lose heart and return to their homes and families. If not, we'll be forced to put them all to the sword."

"Will you return to Cyrodiil now that the rebellion has been put down?"

"No, I expect Skyrim will be my home for many years." Tullius sighed. "I can't say I'll ever get used to the damn cold, or understand these Nords ... but I've come to respect them. The harshness of Skyrim has a way of carving a man down to his true self."

"Do you think there will be peace now that Ulfric is dead?" Yssha asked.

"Oh, the fiercest of the remaining rebels will continue to harass us, but by and large, the people here desire peace, so yes. What I'm not so sure about is the peace we've made with the Thalmor. But we'll keep that between the two of us, all right?"

"Of course," Yssha agreed. "For what it is worth, I believe you are correct, and I will be searching for ways to alleviate that problem. If their assassins do not kill me in the meantime; I seem to be one of their favorite targets."

The General nodded. "There is always that. I will pray for your survival and success, Legate. If we can find some way for the remaining Stormcloaks to become our allies, Skyrim could become the anchor of the Empire."

Yssha liked that image, though she had no idea how it could come about, so she simply bowed. "May it be so, General."

That seemed to be all that needed to be said for the moment, so she took her leave, then she and Marcurio made their way out of the city. They were greeted by a number of troopers on their way, stopping to talk a couple of times, but they finally got through the gates.

It was only a little less crowded here, far more people than she was comfortable teleporting around, so they started walking cross-country after more greetings from the Legionnaires outside the city. It was a good ten minutes before they found a suitable place, and she 'ported them outside Whiterun.

It was close to dark, so most shops were closed and the market stalls were empty, but Yssha was reasonably sure Jarl Balgruuf was still awake and probably at work. She heard shouting and laughter when they passed Jorrvaskr, which was unexpectedly welcome after the day's events, and she purred softly.

When they got up to Dragonsreach, she headed directly for Jarl Balgruuf, who was still on his throne. He stared at her. "Great good gods, Dragonborn - what happened to you?"

Yssha looked down at herself and felt the tips of her ears burning. She was a mess, blood and gore liberally splattered on her armor. "I apologize, my Jarl! I should not have come before you in this condition."

"Just tell me none of that's yours, and you're forgiven."

"We are both well, but I felt it important to bring you the news right away." She paused to take a deep breath. "The war is over. Ulfric Stormcloak is dead."

"The first is great news, and Ulfric's death was inevitable if he lost. But we were friends once - can you tell me if he at least died well?"

"You will have to be the judge of that, my Jarl - I still do not know Nords well enough to know what, other than death in battle itself, can be called that. He had been defeated by General Tullius and Legate Rikke, but wanted me to deliver the final blow because it would make a better song. I asked him how he would prefer it done. His final words were, 'Your Voice, Dragonborn. I would die as I killed.' So he died by the same Shout he used on the late King Torryg."

"So that was true, then," Balgruuf said. "I didn't want to believe it of him, but now I must." He dismissed them with, "You're fresh from battle, so you must want to wash, eat, and rest. You can tell me the full story later."

He was absolutely right, so they went upstairs to their apartment, where a tub of water was waiting to be heated by magic for baths. There was food on the dining table, and the bed was turned back. They took full advantage of all three.

* * *

Author's Note: Guest, you don't need to worry. This story has a long arc, and I try to stay about ten chapters ahead, in case the characters do a sudden change on me, so I can correct any continuity problems as we go.


	26. Yssha's Day Off

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Chapter 26 - Yssha's Day Off

The armor they'd left in the hallway had been cleaned and returned, so they were much more presentable when they went down to join the rest at breakfast. While they ate, they told the Jarl and others the full story of the previous day's battle. "And then we found a place where I was comfortable using a fast-travel spell my greats-grandmother taught me to return here. I could have used a Shout called Whirlwind Sprint, but I would have had to leave Marcurio behind."

"That explains a lot," Farengar said. "But why have you kept it a secret? I would love to know a Teleport spell."

"I am embarrassed to admit it, but I am not a good enough mage to be a teacher," Yssha said. "I have also not wanted to startle or frighten people by appearing or disappearing with no notice." She twitched her ears. "If I ever get time to visit the College of Winterhold, I am planning to get them to analyze how the spell works, so it can be taught."

Balgruuf frowned. "That might not be wise," he said. "Tell me, Dragonborn - what are the limitations on that spell?"

"Mostly that I must have been to anyplace I want to teleport to, and that I must have contact with anything or anyone I wish to take with me. Holding Marcurio's hand, for instance."

"Indoors and out?"

"Yes, my Jarl. It does not matter, as long as I have been there to get a mental picture of it."

Balgruuf scowled. "Then I must ask you not to have the spell analyzed. I know I cannot give the Dragonborn orders, and I trust _you_ with that power, but I ask you to think about the tremendous security problems it would cause if it got out to those less honest and honorable."

Yssha thought about what could happen if, say, a necromancer got hold of that spell, or the Dark Brotherhood mage she'd killed, and shuddered. "You have made your point, my Jarl; I will not mention it to them. And I will remain as discreet as I may in how I use it myself. I was thinking about the convenience of it, not the risks."

"You are young, and you mentioned it to me before any harm was done," Balgruuf said, his scowl easing to a small smile. "Youth can forgive much enthusiasm, and none will find out about your spell from those of us here." He looked around the table. "You all understand that, of course." When he got nods and murmurs of assent, his smile grew. "Good. Now, Dragonborn, what do you have planned with the war over?"

"My next task is to visit High Hrothgar again, to see if the Greybeards know anything about the Shout the original Tongues used to defeat Alduin. I will leave soon, after I retrieve my coat. Even the inside of High Hrothgar is colder than comfortable for a Khajiit, and if I have to go outside, it is far worse."

"I think you need a day off, love," Marcurio said. "You've been fighting one thing or another practically every day since I've met you. And yesterday's battle was the worst yet."

"I agree," Balgruuf said.

"But Alduin - " Yssha protested.

"Can wait," the Jarl interrupted. "I know the young believe they are immortal and unstoppable, but you will do no one any good if you let yourself get worn to a nub. Healing and potions can do wonders for the body, but very little for the mind. Visit friends, have a few drinks, go see how your Lakeview Manor construction is coming, whatever will let you truly relax in mind and body."

Yssha looked thoughtful. Except for the constant jolting of the carriage, the story-telling on the trip to Markarth _had_ been a pleasant change. And she knew the Jarl and Marcurio were right, despite what her sense of duty was telling her. "All right," she said. "Lakeview it is, then. But I get to keep the armor on, in case of bandits, wildlife, or Thalmor. Or a dragon."

Balgruuf laughed heartily. "Of course! If you're attacked, there's no choice about fighting."

Mentioning a dragon had reminded Yssha. "I found something day before yesterday I think you would like to see, my Jarl. If I may draw my sword?"

"You? Go right ahead." When she did, he looked intrigued. "An Akaviri katana, and enchanted, from the glow. Is it a named blade?"

"Yes, my Jarl. It is Dragonbane, and I am informed it does appreciably more damage to a dragon than most other weapons. It was lost from ancient times until the last two Blades and I rediscovered and opened Sky Haven Temple."

"So you aren't the only one from legend showing up these days," the Jarl said with a grin. "Dragonbane and Sky Haven Temple, along with two Blades who've survived the Thalmor ever since the Great War. You've ended our civil war; what will you do next, turn the dragons friendly?"

Yssha's ears twitched. "I fear that is not possible, my Jarl, judging from the ones I have fought. I respect them very much as opponents, but they have shown very little potential for anything but hostility."

"You're probably right. But it still wouldn't surprise me too much if you managed it."

"We shall see, if I ever find one who will talk instead of attacking immediately."

"I see what you mean." Balgruuf stood, and everyone else followed suit. He headed for his throne, and Yssha followed Farengar to his workshop. "I am weak in enchanting, as yet, which you know. But I will learn, and I would like any advice you are willing to offer on how to do so."

Farengar smiled. "Firstly, collect any soul gems you can find or afford. The mace I enchanted for you will take care of filling them appropriately." He hesitated before going on. "That includes black ones, since you'll be going against bandits and other intelligent creatures on a regular basis. Yes, I know some say all trapped souls are sent to the Soul Cairn when the gem they're in is dissipated by being used. Others say the Soul Cairn is only for necromancers and maybe the ones who are neither good enough for Aetherius, nor evil enough for Oblivion, with other trapped intelligences ending up where they were originally bound. No one has returned from any of those places, so it's impossible to know. But I think the second makes more sense."

"Since the Divines are just, and the Daedric Princes notoriously jealous of what they claim, I must agree. Is there more?"

"Get as much training as you can afford, but the most important thing is practice. Enchant everything you can find and have the soul gems for. I'll give you a list of what enchantments on which items merchants are willing to pay the most for. Then use the money to buy more soul gems." Farengar smiled. "Or if you want a custom enchantment, or one you don't know yet, I'll be happy to trade for something that advances my dragon research."

"I will keep that in mind."

At that, he seemed to dismiss her from his mind, turning to his alchemy lab, so she left, amused. Farengar seemed to be as obsessive about his magic and dragon research as she was about eliminating Alduin.

They left Dragonsreach, going down to the plaza surrounding the dead tree, where she found the Temple of Kynareth's priestess sitting on a bench. Yssha bowed politely, but didn't say anything, since it looked like the priestess had something to ask, and she was already having problems keeping track of what she'd promised to do.

She bought some potions from Arcadia, getting a few pointers on alchemy, then went further down the road, past Breezehome, to Warmaiden's, where Adrianne hailed her. "Yssha! We have a breakthrough - come look!"

On her workbench was a grayish-white cuirass, and Yssha let out a brief yowl of glee. "You did it! You managed to work dragonbone!"

Adrianne grinned. "With Arcadia's help, I certainly did. You would not believe the weird concoction it took! But it worked, and with Arcadia's brew, it's not much harder than Daedric to forge. Stronger than the scale armor I'm still working on for you, but enough heavier I wouldn't recommend it for a Khajiit."

"Do you need more scales for mine?" Yssha asked.

"No, just maybe another day," Adrianne replied. "And some more Daedric arrows, if you come across them. That dragonscale is bloody hard to put holes in!"

"I shall certainly keep you in mind, if I find any. Now, what do I owe you for the cuirass? And do you need more bone?"

"Call it a thousand. That's less than half what I'll be charging anyone else, but I used up three bones experimenting and learned some new techniques, which are easily worth the rest of the money. No, I don't need any more bones for the rest of Marcurio's set, just a couple of days now that I know how to work it. But I'll buy any bones and scales you don't need." Adrianne grinned happily. "At least for now, I'm the only source for dragon armor, and I'd like to keep it that way as long as I can."

Yssha purred. "I can understand that. I will not sell them to any other smith, but I would like to learn how to work the bone myself, when I have improved my smithing enough."

"Sounds good to me. Once you learn to work Daedric, I'll teach you how to work the bone. Once you can make regular scale, you'll know all you need to make the dragonscale."

"Excellent. We will take the cuirass now, and pick up mine tomorrow."

"It'll be waiting."

So they left the city carrying Marcurio's new cuirass, teleporting to near Lakeview Manor as soon as they were out of sight. Yssha was glad she'd taken that precaution when they approached the building itself, because it was swarming with workers erecting wall framing. She was greeted with some cheer by several of them before they went back to work. It didn't take her long to find Rayya, who was directing the work, at a carpenter's workbench.

"Welcome, Dragonborn!" Rayya said. I'm glad you were able to stop by. We're making good progress, better than it looks. The foundation, cellar, and floor are done, so things will speed up. But it would help if you can give me some idea of any additions you might want to make later, so we can plan for doors before the walls go up."

Yssha joined her, looking at plans for some suggested additions. "Since this is to be my primary home, the bedroom and kitchen most definitely. I would also like a smithy." She studied the suggested plans a bit more, then took a piece of charcoal. "The main hall is to have two stories, if I remember correctly?"

"You do," Rayya said. "Why?"

"Because I would like to combine some of these plans. The bedroom, kitchen, armory, and trophy rooms are all single story designs, so I think they can be combined with other plans, adding a second story. Like this, perhaps."

She began sketching. "Here, above the kitchen, the top floor of the alchemy laboratory. On the other side, above the bedroom, the top part of the enchantry. And stack the armory above the trophy room. Can that be done?"

Rayya nodded. "As long as we plan it that way now, it shouldn't be a problem. And expand the balconies on the two towers to cover the entire ceiling area, so you have a roofed upper deck, and don't lose the view the towers give."

"Yes, that would work. What do you think, love?"

Marcurio had been watching as the women sketched, and he laughed. "I like it. It's a lot more than we need now, but I'm sure we'll grow into it later. You could probably put a smithy in part of the cellar, and use the rest for storage or whatever."

Most smithies were outdoors, but that would mar the beautiful view, so Yssha nodded. "That would work, I think. A smelter as well, but that should remain outside, perhaps behind a screen of trees."

She turned to Rayya. "I would like to see the cellar, please."

"Follow me." The steward led the way to a trap door, and they went down the ladder to the cellar. It had sconces, which Rayya lit, showing them around. The cellar was two rooms, empty except for the sconces. Yssha studied them, then made her decision. "Yes, the smithy can go in back. The trap door should probably be enlarged, or an external entry added, to make it easier to get materials in and forged items out."

"The latter would be best," Marcurio said. "There looks like room on either side of the original house for one of those angled cellar doors a lot of people in Cyrodiil have. I haven't seen any here, but they're simple enough to make, and if it's metal, the heat from the forge when it's in use should keep it clear of snow."

"I've seen those," Reyya said. "It would've been simpler to put in when the cellar itself was built, but it shouldn't be a real problem to add it now."

Back upstairs, Yssha and Marcurio went into the little house, and she cat-grinned at him. "Why not get into your new armor, love? We need to know if it fits, so if it does not, we can get Adrianne to make modifications."

"I was just waiting for some privacy," Marcurio said, shedding his orcish cuirass and putting on the dragonplate. He shrugged it into place, tightened a couple of straps, and smiled at her. "It's fine, love. She must've taken measurements from my old armor or something."

"I am glad." Then Yssha changed the subject. "How is our financial situation, beloved? Do we need to do some dungeon runs, or are we in good enough shape that I can continue the quest to defeat Alduin?"

"Between what Lydia's sold for us, what the porter service brings in, and your Legion pay, we have about twenty thousand. We need to leave some of that with Rayya for construction expenses, but I'd say we can afford to continue the fight, even after paying for two sets of armor."

"Good," Yssha said. "If we give her ten, we will be left with as much as I had with my stipend."

"The porter service is a pretty reliable average of two hundred a day, and your Legion pay just got doubled, so we could probably give her fifteen without shorting ourselves. That part's up to you."

Yssha looked at him dubiously. "You think my pay will continue, with the war over?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't," Marcurio replied. "When he swore you in, Tullius said it was for life, remember? And the war here may be over, but it's only a matter of time till the Aldmeri Dominion starts another one."

"Both good points," Yssha conceded. "So we need not worry about day-to-day expenses, and I do want this house completed as quickly as may be. On the other hand, if Adrianne has enough bone to make weapons after finishing your armor, we should get those. So we give Rayya ten, and hope possible weapons do not take all of the rest."

"And this orcish cuirass," Marcurio added. "I don't need it any longer, and she's only in steel. She's protecting our home-to-be, so I want her as well protected as we can manage."

Yssha nodded agreement, then opened the door to call Rayya. When the Redguard joined them, Marcurio gave her the gold and the orcish cuirass. She thanked him, admiring the armor, then promised Yssha to send a courier to Dragonsreach when the main hall was finished and the small house converted to its entryway.

Satisfied with both the progress and the promise, the two wandered down to Lake Ilinalta to look around for a while before 'porting back to Whiterun.


	27. Throat of the World

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Chapter 27 - Throat of the World

The next morning after breakfast, Yssha went to Warmaiden's to pick up her new armor, then back to Dragonsreach to put it and her coat on. Since there was no one else in their apartment, she 'ported herself and Marcurio to the main room of High Hrothgar.

Arngeir approached in less than a minute, smiling. "Your training proceeds well, Dragonborn."

"Not as quickly as I could wish, though, Master Arngeir. But at least the war is over, and I can concentrate on it again." She hesitated, then went on. "I need to learn the Shout used to defeat Alduin."

Arngeir bristled. "Where did you learn of that? Who have you been talking to?"

His reaction startled her. "It was recorded on Alduin's Wall."

This time, he almost snarled. "The Blades! Of course. They specialize in meddling in affairs they barely understand. Their reckless arrogance knows no bounds. They have always thought to turn the Dragonborn from the paths of wisdom. Have you learned nothing from us? Would you simply be a tool in the hands of the Blades, to be used for their own purposes?

She was more puzzled than angered at his vehemence, so she replied calmly. "The Blades are helping me. I am not their puppet."

That made Arngeir back off. "No, no, of course not. Forgive me, Dragonborn. I have been intemperate. But heed my warning. The Blades may say they serve the Dragonborn, but they do not. They never have."

Yssha nodded. "I do not know about 'never', but I know their Acting Grandmaster has coerced me into demonstrating my power before she would reveal information I needed, so I am fully aware they do not truly wish to serve me." She hesitated, her ears twitching. "I left them in Sky Haven Temple, and it would suit me well if I never meet them again."

Arngeir seemed happy with her answer. "First-hand experience is always the most convincing. Now, you wanted to learn the Dragonrend Shout."

Yssha nodded. "If that is its name, yes."

He shook his head. "I cannot teach it to you, because I do not know it. Its Words of Power are unknown to us. We do not regret this loss. Dragonrend holds no place within the Way of the Voice."

That surprised her. "I thought you knew all the Words of Power!"

Arngeir shook his head again. "Not Dragonrend. The knowledge of that Shout was lost in the time before history began. Perhaps only its creators ever knew it. But I am not the one to speak of it to you."

Yssha's brow wrinkled. "If the Shout is lost, how can I defeat Alduin?"

"Only Paarthurnax, the Master of our order, can answer that question, if he so chooses."

"I need to speak to Paarthurnax, then."

"Indeed. But he lives in seclusion on the top of the mountain, and speaks to us only rarely, and never to outsiders. Being able to speak to him is a great privilege."

"I have experienced the weather here," Yssha said with a wince. "With the weather deteriorating the higher I go, how can I possibly get to the top of the mountain to see him?"

"Only one whose Voice is strong can get there. Come. We will teach you a Shout to open the way to Paarthurnax." Yssha followed slowly, analyzing the name. If it were a dragon, which she thought likely if he might be able to teach her the Shout she needed - no mortal could live as long as Arngeir implied - it meant Ambition Overlord Cruelty. Not terribly promising.

She had lagged behind, and by the time she got to the top of the stairs leading to a strange archway shielding them from an ominous-looking mist, three Words gleamed on the paving stones. Arngeir nodded, then told her, "The Words await."

Yssha went to them, as she had done earlier with some of her first words, and absorbed them. Lok Vah Koor. Sky Spring Summer. They were absorbed, but she had no dragon souls to fully comprehend them. She turned to Arngeir, who was smiling. "I will grant you my understanding of Clear Skies, Dragonborn. This is your final gift from us, so use it well."

Again the feeling of something pushing into her, and she **knew** the words.

Arngeir spoke again. "Clear Skies will blow away the mist, but only for a time. The path to Paarthurnax is perilous and not to be embarked upon lightly. Keep moving, stay focused on your goal, and you will reach the summit."

"I thank you, Master Arngeir." Yssha bowed politely, then turned to the arch, using her new Shout to clear the mists, and the two of them began the climb the rest of the way up the mountain. This time Yssha had to take the lead, since she would have to use Clear Skies repeatedly.

It was a long climb, interrupted by an ice wraith, a frost troll, and then a second ice wraith, plus using Clear Skies whenever the mist closed in. Yssha was beginning to wonder if they would ever make it when they finally climbed above the mist, and she let out a sigh of relief. Now to find Paarthurnax himself.

She cast Pathfinder, which led them around a rock shoulder, and she saw the Greybeards' leader perched atop a word wall. She put her mace back in its belt-loop. A dragon, yes, and one who actually looked _old_! He was gray himself, with one of his chin spikes broken, but he seemed as powerful as any when he took wing, to land close to them.

"Drem yol lok, wundunikke," he greeted them. "I am Paarthurnax. Who are you? What brings you to my strunmah, my mountain?"

Yssha bowed politely. "I believe you already know who I am, but zu'u los faal Dovahkiin."

"Yes, vahzah. You speak true, Dovahkiin. Forgive me. It has been long since I held tinvaak with a stranger. I gave in to the temptation to prolong our speech."

"I can understand," Yssha said, "but I am here on a mission of some urgency. I need to learn the Dragonrend shout. Can you teach me?"

"Drem. Patience. There are formalities that must be observed, at the first meeting of two of the dov. By long tradition, the elder speaks first." Paarthurnax turned to face the word wall. "Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones. Match it, if you are Dovahkiin!" He Shouted at the wall, and a word appeared to catch fire. "The word calls to you. Go to it."

She approached it and absorbed Yol, Fire, then turned to face Paarthurnax.

"A gift, Dovahkiin. Yol. Understand fire as the dov do." He sent her his understanding as the Greybeards had.

"Now show me what you can do. Greet me not as Khajiit, but as dovah."

"I cannot match three words with one, but I shall do my best." Before she could prepare her new Shout, though, Paarthurnax nodded. "A fair rebuke, Dragonborn. I told you to match my Thu'um, but did not give you the means."

He rose to his hind legs, and Shouted again. "This will remedy my oversight. Take the other words, and I will grant you understanding."

She did as he said, and once she understood all of them, he prompted her. "Now you can greet me properly. Go ahead."

She acknowledged with a nod, focussed on Fire Breath, and Shouted. "Yol ... Toor Shul!" To her astonishment, she actually breathed a powerful blast of flame that washed over Paarthurnax.

"Ah, yes! Sossedov los vul. The dragonblood runs strong in you. It is long since I had the pleasure of speech with one of my own kind."

"I have the dovahsos and dovahsil, dragon blood and soul, yes, but I lack wings and a dov name, so am I a true dovah?"

She got the strong impression that Paarthurnax wanted to laugh as he settled back to the ground. "Wings you lack, yes, but you do have a dov name. Dovah-kiin, Dragonborn, is a title, but it is also a name. Dov-ah-kiin, Dragon Hunter Born. And you have proper scales, even if they are frigaarbrah, previously used. You would say second-hand. By the will of our bormahu, our father Akatosh, you are a true dovah."

He tilted his head briefly. "Now. You have made your way to me, no easy task for a joor ... a mortal. Even for one of the dovahsos, dragonblood. What do you wish from me?"

She had asked before, but that had been before the formalities were taken care of, so it probably didn't count. She was a bit surprised at both the formality and how exquisitely polite Paarthurnax was. "Can you teach me the Dragonrend shout?" The cold and wind were becoming increasingly unpleasant, and she was starting to shiver, so she hoped he wouldn't take much longer.

"Ah, I have expected you. Prodah. You would not have come all this way for tinvaak with an old dovah. No, you seek your weapon against Alduin."

"Prodah. So you foresaw my need before I arrived."

"Alduin komeyt tiid. What else would you seek? Alduin and Dovahkiin return together. But I do not know the thu'um you seek. Krosis. It cannot be known to me. Your kind, joorre, created it as a weapon against the dov. Our hadrimme, our minds, cannot even comprehend its concepts."

Yssha was getting frustrated as well as cold. "How can I learn it, then?"

"Drem. All in good time. First, a question for you. Why do you need to learn this Thu'um?

"I like this world," Yssha replied. "I don't want it to end."

"Pruzah. As good an answer as any. Many feel as you do, although not all. Some say that all things must end, so that the next can come to pass. Perhaps this world is the egg of the next kalpa. Lein yokiin. Would you stop the next world from being born?"

"The next world will have to take care of itself," Yssha said. "This one has its problems, but I like most of it."

"Paaz, a fair answer." Yssha sensed amusement from him. "Ro fus ... maybe you only balance the forces that work to quicken the end of this world. Even we who ride the currents of time cannot see past Time's end. Those who try to hasten the end, may delay it. Those who seek to delay the end may bring it closer.

"But you have indulged my weakness long enough. Krosis. Now I will answer your question. Do you know why I live here, at Monahven, what you name the Throat of the World?"

Gods, he was as bad as Delphine, when it came to getting answers! A much more agreeable personality, though; she even found herself liking him. "You said you were going to answer my question."

"Drem, patience. I am answering, in my way. This is the most sacred mountain in Skyrim. Zok revak strunmah. The great mountain of the world. Here the ancient Tongues, the first mortal masters of the Voice, brought Alduin to battle and defeated him."

On the other hand, Yssha admitted to herself, when he got to the point, she was getting very good information. "Using the Dragonrend Shout, right?"

"Yes and no. Viik nuz ni kron. Alduin was not _truly_ defeated, either. If he had been, you would not be here today, seeking to ... defeat him. The Nords of those days used the Dragonrend Shout to cripple Alduin. But this was not enough. Ok mulaag unslaad. It was the kel, the Elder Scroll. They used it to ... cast him adrift on the currents of time."

"Are you saying the ancient Nords sent Alduin ahead in time?"

"Not intentionally. Some hoped he would be gone forever, forever lost. Meyye.

"I knew better. Tiid bo amativ. Time flows ever onward. One day he would surface, which is why I have lived here. For thousands of mortal years I have waited. I knew where he would emerge, but not when."

Interesting as it was, Yssha was _cold_. But it would be rude to simply walk away. "So how does any of this help me?"

"Tiid krent. Time was shattered here because of what the ancient Nords did to Alduin. If you brought that Elder Scroll here, to the tiid ahraan, the time wound, you would be able to cast yourself back in time, to the other end of the breach. You could learn Dragonrend from its creators."

Finally! Yssha thought. Now they were getting somewhere. "Do you know where I can find this Elder Scroll?"

"Krosis. No. I know little of what has passed below in the long years I have lived here. You are probably better informed than I."

"Hmm. Jarl Balguuf might know, and if he does not, I could ask Arngeir or Esbern."

"Trust your instincts, Dovahkiin," Paarthurnax advised. "Your blood will show you the way."

"What do I do with the Elder Scroll when I find it?"

"Return it here, to the tiid ahraan. Then ... kelle vomadon. Nothing is certain with such things. But I believe the Scroll's bond with the tiid ahraan will allow you a ... seeing, a vision, of the moment of its creation. Then you will feel - know - Dragonrend, in the power of its first expression. You will see them, wuth fahdonne, my friends Hakon, Gormlaith, Falldir."

"Hakon, Gormlaith, Falldir? Who are those?"

"The first mortals that I taught the Thu'um. The first Tongues, the leaders of the rebellion against Alduin. They were mighty in their day. Even to attempt to defeat Alduin ... sahrot hunne. The Nords have had many heroes since, but none greater."

"What does Dragonrend actually do?"

"I cannot tell you in detail. I never heard it used. Kogaan. It was the first Thu'um created solely by mortals. It was said to force a dragon to experience the concept of mortality. A truly vonmindoraan - incomprehensible idea to the immortal dov."

"How could an Elder Scroll cast Alduin through time?"

"Vonmundak. I do not know. Perhaps in the very doing, they erased the knowing of it from Time itself. The dov are the children of Akatosh, thus we are ... specially attuned to the flow of Time. Perhaps also uniquely vulnerable.

"I warned them against such an action. Even I could not foresee the consequences. Nust ni han. They would not listen."

"You were there?" Yssha asked incredulously.

"Yes. There were a few of us who rebelled against Alduin's thur, his tyrrany. We aided the humans in his overthrow. But they did not trust us. Ni ov. Their inner councils were hidden from us. I was far from here on the day of Alduin's downfall. But all dov felt the ... sundering of Time itself."

Yssha shivered again, and realized she could be getting frostbite. "I have enjoyed this tinvaak, Paarthurnax. I would like to return for another, if you permit. But for now, as you said, it was a long and difficult journey up here, and we talked for some time. My husband and I need to find some warmth and food."

"Unslaad krosis!" Paarthurnax exclaimed. "You are welcome to return at any time, malbriinah, though I can understand if you do not wish to attempt the climb again."

"Now that I have been here once," Yssha told him, "I can return without the climb, thanks to a spell I know. But as I said, for now we need rest and warmth."

"Go, then. We can speak again whenever you wish."

"We thank you." Yssha grabbed Marcurio's hand, and teleported them straight to their Dragonsreach apartment. Once they had changed out of their armor, they went downstairs, going straight to the firepit to warm up.

Irileth joined them. "You two look like icicles. Where in Oblivion have you been?"

"At the Throat of the World," Marcurio replied. "Talking to a long-winded, ah, advisor."

"And that after a climb from High Hrothgar to the top of the Throat," Yssha added. "We just got back, and I can feel the chill in my bones."

"Then you need a hot meal," Irileth said firmly. "Wait there. I'll send a servant in with something." She started toward the kitchen.

"Quite a change from my first time here," Yssha commented. "She met me with a sword when I came to report the dragon attack on Helgen."

"A lot of things have changed since then," Marcurio agreed.

Yssha nodded. "Tell me, love, did I really breathe fire at Paarthurnax, or was I hallucinating from the cold? It is hard to believe."

"You really did, dearling." Marcurio chuckled. "Scared the stuffings out of me, too, until I saw it wasn't hurting you."

"I felt only a mild warmth, which I appreciated. I should probably have stopped him earlier, but despite the cold, I was too fascinated to interrupt."

"And too polite, probably. Maybe your unusual formality comes from your dragon part - I know I was astonished at his, and his courtesy as well." Marcurio paused. "Though I suppose it makes sense, as powerful as dragons are. And if they absorb each other's souls the way you do, it'd be a matter of avoiding extinction, personal if not racial."

"They are all Dragonborn, of necessity," Yssha said slowly. "And Paarthurnax said I am a true dovah. So I would say yes, they can."

A serving girl came by with bowls of stew for them, so they adjourned to a table. "The cook can make some mulled cider, if you like," the girl offered. "It won't take long."

Yssha gave her version of a smile. "That would be wonderful. Thank you."

When they were done with the stew and cider, Yssha stood. "I do not know about you, but that meal and drink, after the day we have had, has me longing for bed, early as it is for that."

"I think I'll have another cider or two," Marcurio said. "But I won't be far behind you."

* * *

Author's Note: I couldn't find Paarthurnax's dialog anywhere, so I had to transcribe it from my last play-through, which took a couple of days. It is crucial to Yssha's future moves, so I didn't have much choice. Apologies for any delays in posting.


	28. Elder Knowledge

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Chapter 28 - Elder Knowledge

When they went down to breakfast the next morning, Yssha's new armor got some admiring looks, and a covetous one from Farengar. "Is that _dragonscale_ armor, Dragonborn?"

She should have expected that, Yssha thought as she nodded. "It is. I would like to get it enchanted, if I can afford your price. Also Macurio's cuirass, and the rest of his suit when it is ready."

"Dragonscale and - dragonbone?" Farengar was practically drooling. "Yes, yes .. get me two of each, and I will happily enchant full sets for both of you! Add some blood, and ... and I would be greatly in your debt!"

"The scale and bone are not difficult," Yssha said, "But that and any inorganic items in them are the only things that remain when they are killed. The only dragon blood currently available is mine, and since my body is Khajiit, that may not serve your purposes."

Farengar looked disappointed at the last, but then brightened. "If I may have a small sample anyway?"

"Farengar!" Balgruuf chided.

"No, it is fine, my Jarl," Yssha said. "I shed blood often enough I will not miss a laboratory sample." She turned to Farengar. "I have no scales or bones at the moment, so will have to wait for the enchanting, but I will give you a blood sample after breakfast."

He laughed. "I'd rather not have the Dragonborn and her husband going into battle in unenchanted armor, so I'll do that when I take the blood sample. I trust your promise of scales and bones."

"Thank you." It was nice to have someone with an obsession on their side, at least sometimes, Yssha thought. Two scales, two bones, and a blood sample was probably worth far less than just the soul gems he would use in the enchanting, but if he thought it a good bargain, so did she.

"So where did you get the armor?" Irileth asked. "I wouldn't mind having a set of that myself."

"Adrianne at Warmaiden's," Yssha replied. "She discovered how to work the scales, and she and Arcadia collaborated on the method to work the bone."

"Whiterun has skilled craftsfolk," Balgruuf said proudly.

Yssha nodded. "It does indeed, and intelligent ones, able to cope with new problems." She paused. "Speaking of problems, perhaps you can help me solve one of mine. I need something called an Elder Scroll, but I have no idea of where to even start looking."

"An Elder Scroll?" Balgruuf looked surprised. "For something that rare, your best bet is the College of Winterhold. Their Librarian is said to have information on everything in Skyrim, maybe everything in Tamriel."

"Ah, thank you. I have been in the area, but not yet to the city. Is there anything I should know about it?"

"The city? There isn't very much left of it after the Great Collapse. The College is about the only thing that survived mostly intact. There is some conflict between city and College about that. But as Dragonborn, it shouldn't affect you."

"Thank you, my Jarl. Marcurio and I will leave for Winterhold as soon as Marcurio retrieves his new armor and Farengar enchants it."

Balgruuf chuckled. "Impatient, are you?"

Yssha considered the question, then nodded. "You could say so. Alduin is not Skyrim's, or the Empire's, only problem, but at the moment, he is probably the most immediate one. So I must deal with him before I am free to help with other things."

"That's true," Balgruuf said. "It's unlikely, I know, but if there's anything I can do to help, I'll gladly do what I can."

Yssha agreed, but something could come up, so she said. "Thank you, my Jarl. I foresee nothing that would involve you, but circumstances can certainly change."

"Also true," Balgruuf said. "When can you get the rest of Marcurio's armor?

"Unless Adrianne ran into unexpected difficulty, we should be able to get it this morning. Then it will be a matter of Farengar enchanting it, and we will leave." She turned to the mage. "Is there any chance of some sort of warmth spell on at least part of mine? Parts of Skyrim are uncomfortably cold for a Khajiit, and wearing a fur coat adds bulk I do not like when in combat."

"Of course," Faregar said, looking mildly superior. "I can even add multiple enchantments. Leave it to me. And if you leave what you have now with me, I can have those pieces done before you return with the rest."

"We will do so, then."

As soon as breakfast was over, the two changed into regular clothing, dropped the armor off with Farengar, and went to Warmaiden's. Besides the rest of Marcurio's armor, Adrianne grinned and showed them a pair of dragonbone weapons, a mace and a battleaxe. "I had some leftover bone, and I know your usual weapons, so I figured I'd make these. They're stronger than even Daedric."

"And so better against dragons," Marcurio said. "How much for everything?"

"Call it thirty-five hundred, since I didn't have to pay for materials." Adrianne shrugged. "Expensive, I know, but so is Arcadia's concoction, and I have to charge for my time."

"Of course," Yssha said. "You have been very good to us price-wise, and we do have the money." Marcurio, who had taken over the finances because of his business experience, handed Adrianne the gold, and they returned to Dragonsreach with their purchases.

Farengar had kept his promise, and what they'd left with him was done. Yssha gave him his blood sample, then the rest of the armor and both weapons. "I will add an extra scale and bone, if you will enchant the weapons as well."

"Certainly," Farengar said. "Will you be going into any dwarven ruins?"

"Probably," Marcurio said. "Why?"

"Because if you are, I should add Shock to the Fiery Soul Trap on the mace. What would you like on the battleaxe?"

"Shock, Fire, and Absorb Magica, if that combination's possible."

"It is for me," Farengar replied, a bit smugly. "It will be only a few minutes."

Again he was as good as his word, and they went upstairs to change. "You know, I thought Farengar was arrogant and a bit insulting when I first met him," Yssha said. "Now it seems more like well-earned confidence in his abilities."

"Along with absent-mindedness and a dragon fixation," Marcurio said with a chuckle. "I didn't care for him at first either, but he grows on you."

"Yes, especially if his warmth spell does its job."

"Which we'll find out shortly. Winterhold is as cold as Windhelm. Do you have any close teleport targets?"

Yssha shook her head. "The closest is outside Fort Kastav, I am afraid. Where we camped with Hadvar."

"About three hours out, then, weather permitting. It could be worse."

"Easily," Yssha agreed. "We could have had to take a carriage from Windhelm, which would take twice as long. No one is here, so are you ready?"

"Yes - let's go." Marcurio extended his hand.

From Fort Kastav to Winterhold, they had a road the Legion kept clear of snow, so they made better time than expected, reaching Winterhold in under two hours. Once there, Yssha saw the Jarl had been right; the town had been at least half-destroyed, and she decided to continue on to the College rather than stopping at the shabby-looking inn. It was easy to find, at the far end of the road they'd come from the fort on.

There was a guard - an Altmer mage, in robes rather than armor - when they reached a causeway that led up to the College proper. She stopped them. "Welcome, Dragonborn," she said. "I'm Faralda, the Destruction master. You wish to visit the College?"

"Yes. I need to speak to your Librarian."

"Ah. But even you will need to prove some magical ability and skill before I can allow you to enter. And I need to know why you want in, a bit more specific than talking to Urag gro-Shub."

"I seek his knowledge of the Elder Scrolls."

"Do you? It is true he has spent time studying the accumulated knowledge of the scrolls. But what you seek does not come easily, and can destroy those without a strong will. Now I need you to cast ... oh, Conjure Flame Atronach, or Shout."

"I will Shout, then, as I do not know that spell. What should I use as a target?"

"The seal beside me. And I would appreciate it if you limit it _to_ the seal."

Yssha nodded, and used only the first word of Flame Breath, keeping it as limited as she could. "Yol."

Faralda looked startled. "Impressive, Dragonborn. You may enter. What of the one with you?"

"Marcurio, my husband. He is a battlemage."

"Then he won't have any trouble casting Firebolt."

"None at all," Marcurio said, and did so. "Good enough?"

"Fine. If either of you wish to join the College, see Mirabelle Ervine. To talk to Urag, go past the statue into the Hall of Elements, turn right, and up the stairs. He's usually at his desk."

"Thank you," Yssha said, and they continued up the causeway. Once inside the College, the two followed Faralda's directions to find the Librarian.

He spoke as soon as they were close enough to hear him easily. "You are now in the Arcanaeum, of which I am in charge. It might as well be my own little plane of Oblivion. Disrupt my Arcanaeum, and I will have you torn apart by angry Atronachs. Now, Dragonborn, do you require assistance?"

That sounded like a set speech he gave everyone, so Yssha didn't take offense. "Yes. I must find an Elder Scroll, and Jarl Balgruuf suggested you might have an idea of where to find one."

"Huh. I don't have any of those, even though I'd like to. But I may have something that'll help you." He left, returning shortly afterward with two books. "Try these."

One, _Effects of the Elder Scrolls_, was interesting and told her a lot about the Scrolls themselves, but not where to find the one she needed. The second, _Ruminations on the Elder Scrolls_, was apparently written by a madman. "This is totally ... strange," she said.

"Yes, that one's by Septimus Signus. He used to be here, and he's an expert on the Elder Scrolls, but no one's seen him in a long time, maybe years." The Orc shrugged. "He got hung up on the Dwemer, and went up north to study some old artifact of theirs. Maybe if you can find him, he can give you a lead."

"I shall have to try that, then. Thank you, Librarian."

"My pleasure, Dragonborn. Come see me again, if there's anything I can help with."

As they left, Yssha sighed. "Even further North? Fortunately, Farengar's spell of warmth is working well."

"For me, too. I think he must be happy with that one." Marcurio chuckled. "So am I."

"I, also. It is wonderful being warm. His spell is far better than my fur coat."

Marcurio chuckled. "I'm not sure whether or not you should tell him that, though."

"A master of his art should be encouraged, so I probably will." Yssha purred. "At any rate, we must find this Septimus Signus person, which gives me a target for Pathfinder. I wonder if we can find a meal here before we start. The inn was remarkably unappetizing."

Marcurio nodded. "We'll ask the next person we meet. I could use lunch and maybe an ale."

But the next one they met, as they exited the Hall of the Elements, was an Altmer in Thalmor mage robes. He snarled, preparing a Destruction spell. "Die, Dragonborn!"

Yssha didn't hesitate; she called up Fire Breath and used it. "Yol Toor!"

That brought mages running. "What in Chaos!" one demanded.

"He was trying to kill us," Yssha said calmly. "I was merely defending myself."

"I saw and heard that," another said. "I am Savos Aren, Archmage of this College. But this may cause a diplomatic incident."

Yssha shrugged. "At worst, it will bring the inevitable confrontation a bit earlier. Another war with the Aldmeri Dominion is unavoidable, given their hatred for all other races. And I am on their kill-on-sight list, according to a note I found on the first to attack me."

"Oh? I wondered why he would do that. Well, self-defense does justify his death, but I expect he'll be replaced soon. They keep a close eye on us."

Yssha nodded. "That is not surprising. You might want to warn his replacement of what happened here. Though if I am attacked inside the College buildings, I promise to use a material weapon."

"You plan to study here?" the Arch-Mage asked.

"When time permits, probably after I defeat Alduin. I have much to learn about magic, including ways to supplement my magica."

"We'll be happy to teach you, Lady Dragonborn." He nodded politely to her. "Is there anything we can do for you now?"

"Your Libranian has advised us to go north and find Septimus Signus, but is there any chance of a meal and drink before we leave?"

"Certainly! Come up to my quarters, and I'll have something brought."

Shortly after finishing their meal, the two went back down the causeway, saying goodbye to Faralda before Yssha cast Pathfinder, and the two of them followed it to the left, out onto the ice. It took them about two and a half hours to find a rowboat with what looked like a triangular door nearby, with Pathfinder leading them straight to it.

Yssha opened it easily, finding a ladder leading town into an icy cavern. They descended a slippery path to the bottom of the cavern, where they found a man in blue mage robes wandering the bottom area, most of his attention seemingly on a huge device with what looked like a most peculiar lock.

"Septimus Signus?" she called softly.

"Yes, yes. Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I am Yssha of Clan and Family Ysshaya, also known as Dragonborn. This is my husband Marcurio, a battlemage. We are looking for an Elder Scroll, and Urag gro-Shub said you might be able to help."

"Elder Scrolls. Indeed. The Empire. They absconded with them. Or so they think. The ones they saw. The ones they thought they saw. I know of one. Forgotten. Sequestered. But I cannot go to it, not poor Septimus, for I... I have arisen beyond its grasp."

"It seems you _can_ help us, then. Will you tell us where it is?"

"Here. Well, here as in this plane. Mundus. Tamriel. Nearby, relatively speaking. On the cosmological scale, it's all nearby. Septimus will help you if you will help Septimus." He pointed toward the odd device. "You see this masterwork of the Dwemer. Deep inside their greatest knowings. Septimus is clever among men, but he is but an idiot child compared to the dullest of the Dwemer. Lucky then they left behind their own way of reading the Elder Scrolls. In the depths of Blackreach one yet lies.

"Under deep. Below the dark. The hidden keep. Tower Mzark. Alftand. The point of puncture, of first entry, of the tapping. Delve to its limits, and Blackreach lies just beyond. But not all can enter there. Only Septimus knows the hidden key to loose the lock to jump beneath the deathly rock."

Then he handed Yssha two items he called an attunement sphere and a blank lexicon. The attunement sphere was some sort of key they would need - at least that was what she understood from his garbled explanation - and he wanted them to fill the lexicon from the Elder Scroll - she thought - and then return it to Septimus so he could open the ... she supposed it might be considered an oversized safe.

When he started repeating himself, she excused them and they left. Once they were back on the surface, Yssha sighed. "I am glad we have Pathfinder, beloved. If I interpret his directions properly, we must go to Alftand, then Blackreach, then Tower Mzark. But I am not sure of that interpretation, nor did he give us instructions on how to get through any of the three."

"I know where Alftand is, south and west of Windhelm. It's a pretty large Dwemer ruin, so it's a good thing Farengar put Shock on your mace; that and Lightning Bolt are most effective against Dwemer constructs, some of which can be really nasty. Lower level ones aren't bad, but some of the Centurions can be as bad as a dragon. Even if you don't have to bring them down to the ground first."

"So, shall we teleport to Windhelm, spend the night at - what was it, Candlehearth Hall - and leave from there? I should pay my respects to the new Jarl, which we can do either this afternoon or in the morning before we leave."

"That seems reasonable. And it'll give me a chance to get the porters ready to go, because in a dwarven ruin, there's bound to be plenty of heavy loot. Huh. Should we send it to the Bannered Mare storeroom and get Lydia to sell it, or to Lakeview, and get Rayya to do it?"

"Hmm." Yssha thought for a bit. "Anything heavy I can use for crafting to Lakeview, but for now I wish Rayya's prime duty to remain building supervisor. Heavy non-crafting items to the Bannered Mare."

"Right. Shall we go?"

When they got to Windhelm, they were hailed by the gate guards. "Welcome, Legate Yssha! The Jarl would like to see you whenever you have time."

"Thank you. That is convenient, as I also wish to see him."

Marcurio grinned when they entered the city. "How about I book us rooms and order a meal while you go see the Jarl? It'll probably be politics, which bores me to tears."

Yssha winced. "At least you can avoid it at will, where I cannot. Go ahead, and I will be back as soon as the Jarl releases me."

"Good luck, love."

Up at the Palace of the Kings, Yssha was greeted and admitted by the door guards, one of whom asked about her armor. She referred him to Adrianne, then entered and walked past the usual long table - getting a number of dirty looks and muttered insults form the exiled rebel jarls and stewards on her way - until she neared Jarl Brunwulf Free-Winter's throne. Once there, she bowed respectfully.

"You wished to speak to me, my Jarl?"

"Yes, Lady Dragonborn." He smiled. "In freeing Windhelm and the rest of Skyrim from Ulfric Stormcloak, you have done me and my hold the greatest service I can imagine. By the power vested in me as Jarl of Windhelm, I grant you Hjerim as your home in Windhelm, and I name you Thane of this Hold. I hope you will accept." He handed her an enchanted mace. "Take this from my armory as a symbol of your new rank."

Yssha bowed deeply. "You do me great honor, my Jarl. I accept with gratitude."

"Good. I'm sure you'll be happy to know I'm in talks with the Dunmer on how to integrate them with the rest of the populace, instead of forcing them to stay in the Gray Quarter." He grimaced. "Unfortunately, I have to keep the Argonians outside for now to protect them, but I hope to change that in the not-too-distant future. And thanks to you, Khajiiti are now being welcomed."

"I am happy about all of that, my Jarl. Just do not push it too rapidly; that could make things worse."

Brunwulf gave her a wry smile. "I'm all too aware of that, Dragonborn. I'll push it as quickly as the people are able to accept, but no faster."

"You are wise, my Jarl, as I hoped. If I may take my leave, I would very much like supper and a good night's sleep before Marcurio and I leave for Alftand shortly after dawn."

"Go ahead," he said, smiling again. "Rest well and be victorious in your battles, my Thane."

Yssha bowed and left, feeling happy.


	29. Discerning the Transmundane

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Chapter 29 - Discerning the Transmundane

They had a couple of animal encounters on the way to Alftand, but nothing they couldn't handle easily. What they found first was the remains of a campsite. Exploring that got them an Expedition Manifest that held some useful information, including that they might not be alone when they got inside, and that what they needed to find was a fissure in the ice. Further exploration brought them to a rope bridge with what could be a fissure at the far end, and that turned out to be the case.

When they entered, it was obvious the explorers had moved in to avoid the storm mentioned in the Manifest, and not been too concerned with neatness; crates and barrels were scattered around. Making their way through the tunnel, they found the expedition leader's journal on a barrel beside an unlit campfire. That confirmed their conclusion about the move from the first campsite, but wasn't very helpful otherwise, so they kept going. They took nothing from the expedition's belongings; if the expedition was still here, they would need it.

Not too much further down the tunnel was another campsite, its fire also unlit, but this time, there was a lot of blood on the floor, and Yssha wondered what had happened. There was no way to tell, though, so they continued on, following Pathfinder. It was only a few minutes before they heard a Khajiit voice.

"Where is it? I know you were trying to keep it for yourself, J'zhar ... You always try to keep it for yourself!"

"Huh?" Marcurio said. "I wonder what that's all about."

The Khajiit answered that with his next words. "No! There's got to be more Skooma ... Shut up! Shut up! Don't lie to me, J'zhar! You hid it! You always try to steal it from me!"

As they neared the voice, Yssha realized they'd been seen.

"What? Who is this, Brother? Another of the smooth skins looking for food?"

"But these weren't trapped with us ... " He came around the corner, drawing his sword. "No ... no! You must be the ones who took my skooma!"

They had no chance to protest their innocence before he attacked, and they were forced to cut him down. They searched the body, then went around the corner he'd come from. On the ground in front of them was another dead Khajiit. When he searched the body, Marcurio came up with a journal as well as minor loot. "He's been dead for some time," he told Yssha, handing her the journal.

She read it, and nodded. "His brother was a skooma addict, and suffering from withdrawal, including delusions." She sighed. "Skooma is a horrible thing. When moon sugar is mixed with Eidar cheese and ale, turned into Elsweyr fondue, it is invigorating and helpful, but turned into skooma, it is vile."

"I've seen addicts in Riften, and I agree. It's nasty stuff. The damn makers and dealers should be killed."

"We agree on that, beloved. But we can do nothing for either of them, so shall we continue?"

"Definitely."

Shortly past the bodies, the ice turned into a ruin with snow and ice drifts, and Marcurio chuckled. "Dwemer. It's a good thing Farengar was able to put that Shock spell on our weapons. We're likely to run into some of their automatons, so take any soul gems they have, but leave the metal; the porters will haul it out."

"All right. That is their job, after all."

They passed the remains of a dwarven spider, retrieving the soul gem it held, then found a table with two more wrecked ones and a loose soul gem, retrieving the light items from those and a nearby chest.

They continued, finding the occasional chest and fighting off a few dwarven spiders, then they ran across a series of pistons that looked like they were intended to push intruders off a ledge. Those took careful timing to get past, but otherwise weren't a problem.

Their problems started when they entered the next section, what Marcurio thought was the Animonculory, though he didn't know what that meant. They were attacked almost immediately, and Marcurio swore. "Oblivion - Falmer! They're blind, but they have damn good hearing - go stealth!"

Yssha obeyed, and they were soon fighting. They didn't seem too bad, at least the ordinary ones, but that could be in part because of their dragon armor and weapons, though Marcurio mostly used spells.

Yssha couldn't exactly call their progress boring, because it was far too busy for that, but it did become monotonous. It was a succession of Falmer, curving down-ramps, traps, more Falmer, more ramps, the occasional treasure chest, a Falmer village, and so on. There was one brief spot where they had to find a lever upstairs to open a gate so they could progress, then ... they were at a dwarven construct, where two of the expedition members were fighting each other. Sulla and Umana, from what they were calling each other. She and Marcurio left them to their battle, finding the Attunement Sphere activated the construct, opening a passageway down.

They followed it, and she caught her breath as they emerged. This was a strange place, very much so, with glowing mushrooms and other fungi. It had to be Blackreach, Yssha thought, and Marcurio agreed. A building ahead and to her left attracted her attention, so they entered, finding a skeleton surrounded by alchemical ingredients and a few soul gems and other miscellany, including a field journal.

Marcurio studied that, then said, "Take anything you want from this place with us, dearling. If this place is as huge as it looks, it's entirely too big for me to want the porters wandering around and probably getting lost. Alftand is fine to send them to, but this place is too risky for them, even with combat pay."

"Very well. Help me collect these ingredients, then, please?" She looked around when he agreed, then pointed to a red plant emitting the characteristic hum of a nirnroot. "Oh! Look!"

Marcurio looked as astonished as she felt. "A crimson nirnroot? I've never seen _that_ before."

"Nor have I. So I shall treat it most carefully, at least for now."

Once they were sure they had everything the laboratory held, they left, and Yssha cast Pathfinder. That led them back to the road and to the left, which almost immediately took them to a statue-looking thing in an arched opening with a lever at its bottom right. "What is that?" Yssha asked curiously.

"Dwarven Centurion," Marcurio replied. "Nasty, but usually profitable. What do you think?"

"We are well, this armor is strong, and we have no idea how much more it will take to finish Lakeview." Yssha went to the lever. "Brace yourself."

Marcurio readied spells in both hands. "Go for it!"

As soon as Yssha released the lever, the Centurion attacked Marcurio, who released lightning bolts from both hands as Yssha jumped to its back, wielding her mace. The Centurion wasn't an easy opponent, but it also didn't take very long to defeat, with their lighning and shock spells disrupting whatever kept it moving, and they stripped it of anything useful. Then they moved on.

The next problem was something Marcurio called a chaurus. Just one wasn't too bad, but as they moved on, they ran into three of them, which was far more difficult, and both of them needed healing spells when it was over.

"I must say, finding this Elder Scroll is more difficult than I had anticipated," Yssha said. "I hope we are getting close. I am both hungry and tired, but I would rather not try to rest in this place."

"That makes two of us, dearling," Marcurio said. "Maybe that temple-looking place up the hill will get us to Tower Mzark."

"May the Nine will it so." Yssha cast Pathfinder, and they were led up and to a bridge, then to the large building. Inside, they found a lever, and Yssha pulled it.

This one took them up, rather than down as the last one had, and they emerged into a hallway. They went along frayed carpets to a door at the far end. When Yssha opened it, she gasped.

"What is it, love?"

"Just look at that!"

There was a huge sphere in front of them, with round ... they almost looked like gems, but gems didn't come that big, studding it, and a curved walkway leading up and around. In awe of the huge thing, whatever it was, Yssha led the way up ... and up .. and up, until she reached what looked like a control platform.

It was obvious where to put the empty Lexicon, and she did, but now what? How to fill it and find the Elder Scroll?

"Talos, guide me," she prayed. "You wish me to restore Your Empire, so I ask you to show me how."

She sensed affection, and a nudge to one of the columns. She looked around, saw two of the four had shields, but this one did not, so she pressed its button. That got some machinery above the huge sphere moving, but that was all, so she pressed it again. And again. And again.

That opened the shields over the buttons to her left, and she went to them. The taller of the two was more attractive-seeming, somehow, so the pressed it twice, then the one to its left once ... and the Lexicon began glowing, while the mechanism above the huge sphere lowered to its surface.

She breathed a prayer of thanks to Talos. "I would never have found that for myself, Lord Talos. I thank you for your generosity."

Then she retrieved the now-filled Lexicon and went to the lowered part of the mechanism, where she found the Elder Scroll she needed, and heaved a sigh of relief. She had both the Lexicon and the Scroll, so they could leave, and she cast Pathfinder to find the easiest way out.

That led them back down, out a door, and right, to another lift that led them to the surface.

Yssha sighed. "Back to Septimus, love? I do not feel up to facing Alduin in my current condition."

Marcurio bent down and kissed her. "Yeah, let's give him his precious Lexicon back."

So they 'ported back to his outpost, and entered. They went down the slippery pathway to the bottom, and handed the mage the Lexicon.

He was delighted, but chagrined at the same time. "Give it, quickly. Extraordinary. I see it now. The sealing structure interlocks in the tiniest fractals. Dwemer blood can loose the hooks, but none alive remain to bear it. A panoply of their brethren could gather to form a facsimile. A trick. Something they didn't anticipate, no, not even them. The blood of Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Falmer, and Orsimer. The elves still living provide the key. Bear you hence this extractor. It will drink the fresh blood of elves. Come when its set is complete."

Yssha wasn't at all sure she wanted to do that; she was no vampire, to kill various folk just for their blood. But she was bound to encounter some she had to kill for other reasons, so she accepted the extractor, and the two started to leave. They were stopped on the way out, though, by a huge mass of writhing tentacles. "Come closer. Bask in my presence."

Yssha hesitated, unwilling, but the thing wasn't threatening her, so she moved forward a couple of steps. "Who, or what, are you?"

"I am Hermaeus Mora," the tentacular mass said. "I am the guardian of the unseen, and knower of the unknown. I have been watching you, mortal. Most impressive. Your continuing aid to Septimus renders him increasingly obsolete. He has served me well, but his time is nearing its end. Once that infernal lockbox is opened, he will have exhausted his usefulness to me. When that time comes, you shall take his place as my emissary. What say you?"

After Greats-Grandmother's warnings against the Daedra, that was no temptation at all. "No. I will not serve you."

Yssha sensed anger, but the reply sounded calm enough. "Be warned. Many have thought as you do. I have broken them all. You shall not evade me forever." And, to Yssha's relief, it vanished. They left the cave as quickly as they could get up the ladder and open the door.

"Great," Marcurio said when they were outside. "Now we've got a Daedric Prince unhappy with us. I don't suppose you could've gone along with him, though."

"No, at least not willingly, with him or most of the others. Depending on the circumstances, I might deal with Meridia or Azura. The rest, I will avoid as much as possible." Yssha sighed. "I may not be able to completely, of course, but that is my intention."

"I feel the same way, love," Marcurio said. "Well, at least it's over for now. Let's get some food and rest."

"Yes." Yssha took his hand, and they were at Whiterun, walking toward the city and their apartment at Dragonsreach.


	30. Pursuing Alduin I

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Chapter 30 - Pursuing Alduin I

The next day after breakfast, they left the city, teleporting to the Throat of the World as soon as they could.

Paarthurnax was waiting for them, seeming pleased. "You have it. The Kel - the Elder Scroll. Tiid kreh ... qalos. Time shudders at its touch. There is no question. You are doom-driven. Kogaan Akatosh. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal. Go then. Fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs."

Yssha and Marcurio moved toward a spot where the air seemed to ripple like water, distorting the light. That had to be the Time-Wound, so they moved to its center. Yssha took the Elder Scroll from her pack, took a deep breath, and opened the scroll.

She thought for a few seconds that she'd been blinded, but then her vision cleared - partially, at least, because she seemed to be looking through the scroll rather than at it, and it showed everything a bit out of focus and with a reddish tint. She tried to move, and found herself unable to do anything but watch.

The scroll showed a dragon fighting a man and woman who had to be two of Paarthurnax's friends, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt and ... yes, that was Hakon One-Eye. The dragon was concentrating on Hakon until Gormlaith jumped onto its head, as she had once done.

"Gormlaith!" Hakon called. "We're running out of time! The battle ..."

"Daar sul thur se Alduin vokrii," the dragon said. "Today Alduin's lordship will be restored. But I honor your courage. Krif voth ahkrin. Die now, in vain."

Hakon attacked again, yelling, "For Skyrim!"

Gormlaith did her part, and it was she who dealt the killing blow. "Know that Gormlaith sent you down to death!"

With the dragon dead, they sheathed their swords and walked past a corpse, talking.

"Hakon! A glorious day, is it not!"

Hakon snorted. "Have you no thought beyond the blooding of your blade?"

"What else is there?" Gormlaith asked, as if the other's question was pointless.

Hakon ignored her question. "The battle below goes ill. If Alduin does not rise to our challenge, I fear all may be lost."

"You worry too much, brother. Victory will be ours."

The third member of the trio emerged from behind Yssha and joined the others in her view.

Hakon spoke to the new one, Felldir the Old. "Why does Alduin hang back? We've staked everything on this plan of yours, old man."

"He will come," Felldir assured the others. "He cannot ignore our defiance. And why should he fear us, even now?"

"We've bloodied him well," Gormlaith said with satisfaction. "Four of his kin have fallen to my blade alone this day."

Yssha was impressed with that. One dragon a day was difficult enough, and Gormlaith had killed _four_? She was a hero indeed!

"But none have yet stood against Alduin himself," Felldir pointed out. "Galthor, Sorri, Birkir ..."

Gormlaith said, "They did not have Dragonrend. Once we bring him down, I promise I will have his head."

Felldir shook his head. "You do not understand. Alduin cannot be slain like a lesser dragon. He is beyond our strength. Which is why I brought the Elder Scroll."

Um. That was less than promising, Yssha thought as Felldir pulled out the scroll she was reading. On the other hand, Paarthurnax hadn't said any of them were Dragonborn, so that could make enough of a difference. She hoped.

"Felldir! We agreed not to use it!" Hakon said.

"I never agreed," Felldir said. "And if you are right, I will not need it."

Hakon looked stubborn. "No. We will deal with Alduin ourselves, here and now."

"We shall see soon enough," Gormlaith said grimly. "Alduin approaches!"

"So be it," Hakon said as the three drew their weapons and Alduin landed.

Alduin spoke. "Meyye! Tahrodiis aanne! Him hinde pah liiv! Zu'u hin daan!"

Yssha translated that loosely to herself. Fools! Treacherous slaves! Your wishes will all wither! I am your doom!

"Let those that watch from Sovngarde envy us this day!" Gormlaith yelled.

Then all three of them Shouted. "Joor Zah Frul!"

And Yssha knew Dragonrend: Mortal Finite Temporary. She had what she had come for, but the vision continued, Alduin being immediately forced down.

"Nivahriin joorre! What have you done? What twisted Words have you created? Tahrodiis Paarthurnax! My teeth to his neck! But first ... dir ko maar. You will die in terror, knowing your final fate ... To feed my power when I come for you in Sovngarde!"

They were anything but cowardly, Yssha thought, but Gormlaith was answering.

"If I die today, it will not be in terror. You feel fear for the first time, worm. I see it in your eyes. Skyrim will be free!"

The three Tongues attacked as one. Alduin shrugged it off, then picked Gormlaith up in his mouth and threw her, hard, to his right. The way she landed, it was clear she had been killed.

Hakon screamed, "No, damn you! It's no use! Use the Scroll, Felldir! Now!"

Felldir unrolled the earlier version of the Elder Scroll. "Hold, Alduin on the Wing! Sister Hawk, grant us your sacred breath to make this contract heard! Begone, World-Eater! By words with older bones than your own we break your perch on this age and send you out! You are banished! Alduin, we shout you out from all our endings unto the last!"

Alduin seemed to gasp. "Faal Kel ...? Nikriinne ..."

Then he vanished, thrown into Yssha's present.

"You are banished!" Felldir repeated.

Hakon looked like he didn't quite believe it. "It worked ... you did it ..."

Felldir nodded. "Yes, the World-Eater is gone ... may the spirits have mercy on our souls."

And Yssha returned to the present, putting the Scroll back in her pack and drawing Dragonbane as she readied Dragonrend. Paarthurnax had said Alduin would be coming, and she wanted to be ready.

The sound of wings alerted her, and she turned to see Alduin approach, shouting, "Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor. My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!"

Paarthurnax sounded triumphant. "Lost funt. You are too late, Alduin! Dovahkiin! Use Dragonrend, if you know it!"

Since she had it ready, Yssha did so immediately. "Joor Zah Frul!"

As in her vision, he landed immediately, and she ran toward him, attacking him with Dragonbane as soon as she was in reach. He fought back, but as long as he was on the ground, he was vulnerable, and as soon as she sensed him poising for flight, she Shouted again, keeping him down.

Alduin taunted her as they fought, but Yssha was saving her own breath to Shout Dragonrend whenever she could. She had to use it three more times, healing herself as he did some damage between those Shouts, but at last the combination of Dragonrend and Dragonbane prevailed, and he was no longer able to fight. She was actually surprised at how little damage she'd taken, and was quite sure it was due to the dragon armor. She would definitely have to report that to Adrianne!

"Meyz mul, Dovahkiin," he said then. "You have become strong. But I am Al-du-in, Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else! You cannot prevail against me. I will outlast you ... mortal!" He got airborne and flew off.

When she was fully healed, she turned to the other two. "Are you all right?" she asked Marcurio.

"I wasn't hurt. He was too busy with you to regard me as much more than a mosquito, even though I was doing a fair amount of damage to him. But that bastard is _tough_!"

"The most difficult I have fought to date," Yssha agreed. Then she turned do her draconic mentor. "Was he right about not being able to be slain here?"

"I fear so, yes. But we do not know where he has gone." Paarthurnax paused, looking thoughtful, and she got the impression he wanted to smile. When he spoke next, he sounded happier than she'd ever heard him. "Lot krongrah. You truly have the voice of a dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory."

Yssha wanted to preen at the compliment, but instead shook her head. "It was not truly a victory, since Alduin escaped."

"Nil liivah hin moro. True, this is not the final krongronah, victory. But not even the heroes of old were able to defeat Alduin in open battle. Alduin was always pahlok - arrogant in his power. Uznahgaar pah. He took domination as his birthright." If a dragon could look smug, Yssha thought, Paarthurnak would, and he definitely sounded that way. "This should shake the loyalty of the dov who serve him."

Yssha purred. "But I still need to find out where Alduin went."

"Yes ... one of his allies could tell us. Motmahus. But it will not be so easy to ... convince one of them to betray him. Perhaps the Hofkasejun, the palace in Whiterun, Dragonsreach. It was originally built to house a captive dovah. A fine place to trap one of Alduin's allies, hmm?"

Yssha thought of Balgruuf. "The Jarl of Whiterun might not think so."

"Hmm, yes." Paarthurnax dipped his head. "But your su'um is strong. I do not doubt that you can convince him of the need."

"I shall certainly try. You said Dragonsreach was built to hold a dragon?"

"Yes. This was years ago, you understand. There were more of us then. Before the bruniikke, the Akaviri, came and killed all my zeymah." Paarthurnax hesitated. "I used to visit him from time to time. Nearly crazed by loneliness and captivity. Tiiraz sivaas. He did not even remember his own name. I do not know how he came to be captured. But the bronjun ... the Jarl ... was very proud of his pet. Paak. The Hofkasejun has been known as Dragonsreach ever since."

Yssha shook her head. "You make me ashamed for living, even temporarily, in a place used for that, even though I doubt that Jarl Balguuf knows of the dragon's problems."

Paarthurnax shook his wings. "You must not be ashamed, Dovahkiin, of what happened thousands of years ago. Nor can your Balgruuf be blamed for his ignorance. It is most likely, given the lapse of time, that he is no relation to One-Eye."

Yssha nodded. "That is probably true. I will go there, then, and speak to the Jarl."

She and Marcurio 'ported to the Whiterun target, then went to the city and up to Dragonsreach, where she approached the Jarl's throne. He was busy with petitioners, so she waited her turn until Irileth waved her forward.

"Greetings, my Jarl," she said then. "I have a favor I must ask as Dragonborn, if you will forgive me. I fear it is something you will not like."

Balgruuf gave her what she had come to think of as That Look, then sighed. "Go ahead, Lady Dragonborn."

"Ah, I need to trap a dragon here."

He stared at her. "I must have misheard you. I thought you asked me to help you trap a dragon in my palace."

"No, my Jarl. you heard me correctly. Please, it is truly necessary."

Balgruuf sighed. "Of course. You already saved Whiterun from that dragon. I owe you a great deal. But I don't understand. Why let a dragon into the heart of my city when we've been working so hard to keep them out?"

"Because we must stop Alduin, the dragon that attacked Helgen. I just defeated him at the Throat of the World, but that was not permanent. I need your help to make it so."

Balgruuf paled. "Alduin? The World-Eater himself? But ... how can we fight him? Doesn't his return mean it's the end times?"

"Perhaps so," Yssha said, "but I plan to go down fighting. What about you?

"No Nord could have said it better! I'll stand beside you, Dragonborn. Now, what's this nonsense about trapping a dragon in my palace?"

"It is the only way to stop Alduin, my Jarl."

"Then ... Whiterun will stand with you, Dragonborn. We will take the risk, and gain the glory, whether it be in victory or defeat! So what's the plan, then? How do you intend to lure a dragon into the trap?"

"I fear I do not know yet, my Jarl. There are those I must speak to before I can make final plans. I had to speak to you first, to find out if you were willing to take the risk."

"Oh ... well, I'll leave that to you. I trust you know your business. Probably for the best; it will give me time to see if that old trap still works - and break the news to the men."

Yssha excused herself and Marcurio. They got something to eat, then went to their apartment to rest and discuss what to do next. It wasn't terribly late, and Yssha was fully healed, but it had been a long and difficult fight, so they were both tired, but she discovered was too keyed up to rest properly, much less sleep.

Finally she sighed. "I need to talk to Paarthurnax again, beloved, now that we have Jarl Balgruuf's agreement. Too much is unsettled for me to sleep, so I believe I will find out if he knows how we can lure a dragon here. Do you wish to rest, or come along?"

"Go along, of course," Marcurio said promptly. "We really need to get rid of Alduin's threat before we can take care of the rest of our obligations, and you need to get some sleep before we trap that dragon. So if that takes another talk to old Paarthurnax, let's go."

She smiled in relief, glad that he knew enough of her body language now to recognize it, and took his hand.

Paarthurnax was on what she was beginning to think was his favorite perch when they arrived at the Throat of the World. "Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin."

"Drem yol lok, Paarthurnax," Yssha replied. "The Jarl has agreed to our plan, so now I need to know how to lure a dragon to Dragonsreach. Would you have any ideas?"

"Hmm, yes. I have been pondering on exactly that question. Lingrah morah. I have tasted the voices of Alduin's allies on the wind. Pogaan nahklas vokii wah jun. There is one who I remember well. Ohdahviing. He is the one to tell us where Alduin has gone."

"Very well. We have his name, but how does that help me get him to Dragonsreach?"

Paarthurnax gave the impression of confusion for a moment before he nodded. "Ah. I forget how little you know yet of the dov. Our names are _always_ three Rotmulaag, Words of Power, not just yours and mine. So they make a thu'um, a Shout, yes?"

"But why would he come if I called him?"

"He is not compelled to come, as you were not compelled when the Greybeards called you. But the dov are prideful by nature. Few could resist that challenge, especially from you, Dovahkiin. But Ohdahviing, he is ... headstrong? Boziik ... rash. Even among the dov, he was known for this. He will not resist your challenge, Dovahkiin. He will come.

"Hear his name: Ohdaviing. Now taste it on the wind. Od-ah-viing. Know it in your su'um. Od-ah-viing."

Yssha felt both the words and the understanding of them push into her. Odahviing - Snow Hunter Wing. "Thank you, Grandmaster Paarthurnax, for both the reassurance and how to accomplish our plan. Jarl Balgruuf needs to make some preparations, and I must rest, but I will call him in the morning."

"Then farewell, Dovahkiin. Lok thu'um."

"Lok thu'um, Paarthurnax." With that, she took Marcurio's hand, and they left.


	31. Pursuing Alduin II

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Chapter 31 - Pursuing Alduin II

After breakfast, she told Jarl Balgruuf that she and Marcurio were ready, and asked him if he was also prepared.

"My men know what to do. Make sure you do your part. I'm putting my city in your hands."

On the way up to the Great Porch, he commented, "Now that it's upon us, I'm rather looking forward to the challenge. I'll be more famous than Olaf One-Eye!"

Yssha cat-grinned while Marcurio laughed. "Indeed you will."

When they got there, Yssha was relieved to see the large table at the far end had been moved in anticipation of the dragon's arrival, and she walked to the railing.

"You do have a plan for luring a dragon here, yeah?" Balgruuf asked, standing beside her. When she nodded, he said, "Go ahead and call this dragon of yours. We're ready."

"You should stand back, in case he attacks rather than talking," she suggested. He nodded, going to stand by the wall with his men. When she was certain they were out of the initial line of fire, she stepped back far enough to allow a dragon-sized space at the railing, and Shouted. "Odahviing!"

Then she prepared Dragonrend, but didn't draw Dragonbane. She wanted to talk to this dragon, not fight him, after all.

She saw him coming, not much later, hoping he'd get close enough to land on the railing. He was spectacular, not as big as Alduin but bigger than most she'd fought, and a bright red. She was lucky, luckier than she had any right to be, and he landed on the railing itself, approaching her on foot - well, foot and what she thought of as elbows. She backed away, calling him again.

He made a sound she thought might be draconic laughter, and approached again, Yssha continuing to back away. She heard shouting in the background, but her full attention was on the dragon, who was almost to the mark on the floor where Balgruuf had told her the trap would be triggered. She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until the trap came down and she started breathing again.

"Nid!" he protested as she approached him.

Balgruuf came up beside her. "Got him! I'm amazed that your plan worked, especially with no fighting. You'll be the toast of Whiterun for this!"

"I am pleasantly surprised that it went off so well. I thank Akatosh that we captured him without injury, since I need information from him, and hurting him would have worked against that."

"Horvutah med kodaav," Odahviing said, sounding disgusted. "Caught like a bear in a trap ..."

"Zok frini grind ko grah drun viiki, Dovahkiin." He paused. "Ah. I forget. You do not have the dovah speech. My ... eagerness to meet you in battle was my ... undoing, Dovahkiin. I salute your, hmm, low cunning in devising such a grahmindol - stratagem."

Actually, she did, but she was the only one here, besides Odahviing himself, who did, so she didn't correct him.

"Zu'u bonaar. You went to a great deal of trouble to put me in this... humiliating position. Hind siiv Alduin, hmm? No doubt you want to know where to find Alduin?"

"That is correct. Where is he hiding?"

"Rinik vazah. An apt phrase. Alduin bovul. One reason I came to your call was to test your Thu'um myself. Many of us have begun to question Alduin's lordship, whether his Thu'um was truly the strongest." He paused. "Among ourselves, of course. Mu ni meyye. None were yet ready to openly defy him."

"Ah, you were telling me where to find Alduin," Yssha prompted.

"Unslaad krosis. Innumerable pardons. I digress. He has traveled to Sovngarde to regain his strength, devouring the sillesejoor ... the souls of the mortal dead. A privilege he jealously guards. His door to Sovngarde is at Skuldafn, one of his ancient fanes high in the eastern mountains.

"Mindoraan, pah ok middovahhe lahvraan til. I surely do not need to warn you that all his remaining strength is marshalled there. Zu'u lost ofan hin laan ... now that I have answered your question, you will allow me to go free?"

"Do you promise to serve me?"

"Aam? Serve you? No. Ni tiid. If and when you defeat Alduin, I will reconsider." He paused, seeming to be amused. "Hmm... krosis. There is one detail about Skuldafn I neglected to mention."

"Tell me what you know, then."

"Only this. You have the Thu'um of a dovah, but without the wings of one, you will never set foot in Skuldafn. Of course, I could fly you there. But not while imprisoned like this."

"Fine. I will set you free if you promise to fly me and Marcurio to Skuldafn."

"Onikaan koraav gein miraad. It is wise to recognize when you only have one choice. And you can trust me. Zu'u ni tahrodiis. Alduin has proven himself unworthy to rule. I go my own way now. Free me, and I will carry you to Skuldafn."

"It is agreed, then." Yssha climbed a set of stairs to where a guard stood beside the trap release. "Release the dragon, please."

He protested, but the Jarl called," "Carry on, soldier. This is all part of the Dragonborn's plan."

The guard grumbled a bit more, but did open the trap. "But you'll have to find someone else to get him next time."

As the trap opened, she heard Odahviing. "Faas nu, zini dein ruthi ahst vaal. Fear not. My honor holds my rage at bay."

She went back downstairs, to see the dragon making his way to the far end of the Great Porch. He turned his head to speak to her. "Saraan uth - I await your command, as promised. Are you ready to see the world as only a dovah can? Zok brit uth! I warn you, once you've flown the skies of Keizaal, your envy of the dov will only increase."

He extended a wing for the two to mount, waited until they were settled, then said, "Amativ! Mu bo kotin stinselok. Onward! we fly into sky's freedom."

As he took off, she heard Irileth and Balgruuf calling out, but she couldn't really hear them clearly over the rush of wind. And she discovered quickly that Odahviing was right - she did envy the dov their wings and the power of flight.

All too soon, they landed, and Odahviing said, "This is as far as I can take you. Krif voth ahkrin. I will look for your return, or Alduin's."

He flew off, and Yssha turned to Marcurio. "That was exhilarating!"

"Maybe for you," he said. "I spent most of the flight wanting to vomit, and I'm still feeling kind of green."

"We shall wait for your stomach to settle before continuing, then. Do you need a potion?"

"I don't think it would help, but if you have a Cure Disease, I'm willing to give it a try."

She dug in her pack and handed him one, which he drank. A few minutes later, he was looking better. "That helped. I'm not fully up to par, but I'm good enough to fight." He looked around. "This looks Nordic, so I'm betting on a lot of draugr and the like. Plus maybe dragons, since this is Alduin's retreat."

"I agree. Draugr are unpleasant, but not the best of fighters. I do worry about multiple dragons, though. Perhaps we should try stealth."

"Uh-huh. We only have to get through this place once, and we'll be exiting through Sovngarde, so we don't have to worry about running into them on the way back. And grab anything you want. The porters certainly won't be able to get up here."

"True." They went into stealth mode and made their way toward the temple, across a river, through a large archway. They saw a dragon in the air, but it must not have seen them, because it didn't attack. In a way, that was a shame, as useful as the scales and bones were, but not having to fight it or carry the heavy bones was useful, too. They crept across a bridge and through a second archway, slipping past several draugr, they went south, where Yssha thought she'd seen a door.

Before they got to it, though, a dragon stooped toward them, and she had to use Dragonrend and Dragonbane to cut it down. Fortunately, it wasn't even close to Alduin's strength, so that didn't take long. They claimed its loot, then began looking for the entrance. The door she'd seen led to a dead end, an empty tower with a chest on the upper floor. When they emerged, a bunch of draugr came out of a nearby tower. "Yol ... Toor Shul!", and most of them went up in a gout of dragonfire. The rest were injured and easy to finish off. They finally found the entrance, sneaking past more draugr, but avoiding fights until they came to a puzzle room. Like most Nordic puzzles, it was fairly straightforward, and after one dead end, they were able to keep going.

They found a few chests and frostbite spiders before they ran into another puzzle they had to solve to lower a drawbridge. After more stealthy exploration they came to a third puzzle, a claw door. This was guarded by a Deathlord who spotted them before Yssha could sneak up and bash it with her mace. She traded Shouts with it while Marcurio hit it with a series of lightning bolts, knocking it down so she could finish it with her mace. Searching it revealed a diamond claw, as well as minor loot, and soon they had the door open.

As soon as they entered, she heard the chanting of a Word Wall. This one held Strun, Storm, and she _knew_ it thanks to the dragon soul she had absorbed outside. They looted a couple of chests and found some loose gems, then found a door that led them back outside, to an area that overlooked where they had entered the building originally. There were a number of draugr there, but not very attentive, so they were able to sneak around most and do stealth attacks on the rest. There was only one fight, and that a brief one. They found more loot down what looked like a stairwell to the west, then went up a stairway that went further up the mountain.

That was where they found the first real problem they'd encountered at Skuldafn, a Dragon Priest with a bad habit of teleporting out of reach and attacking before they could find him again. He had a nasty staff that did shock damage as well as his own spells and Shouts. It took Shouts from her and some of Marcurio's strongest spells before they got him slowed down enough for her to get to him with her mace. Since he didn't have anything in the way of armor, that was effective in taking him down.

Both of them had to do some healing before they could go on, with Yssha muttering about teleporting priests who could do it during combat, which she couldn't; it took more concentration than she could spare when someone was trying to kill her.

Once they were healed, they looted the Dragon Priest, who turned out to be Nahkriin. They didn't find that out until later, though, when they could identify his mask. For now, their task was to open the obvious portal. They looked around until Yssha found a hole in the top of a platform overlooking the portal. Putting the staff in it proved to do the job; the portal opened, and they entered Sovngarde.

The landscape was shrouded in an unpleasant mist, but she was positive it would be beautiful if she could see more than a few feet. She used Clear Skies to get a better view, but not even the most powerful form she could use cleared everything. It did let her see a path, once they descended the stairs to the ground, and they followed it. They'd been following it for several minutes when a Stormcloak soldier approached them.

"Turn back, travelers," he said. "Terror awaits within this mist. Many have braved the shadowed vale, but vain is all courage against the terror that bars the way."

That was very unlike the way soldiers normally spoke, and she wondered at it. "Who are you?"

"Near Giant's Gap, in the gloom before dawn, we moved ususpecting into the Imperials' trap. Then we stood and fought, our shield-wall defending, until by dawn's light the Legion ranks wavered. But I never knew if night's end brought victory. A swift-flying arrow to Sovngarde carried me."

"What is this mist?"

"I do not know, but none have passed through. Alduin, his hunger insatiable, hunts the lost souls snared within this shrouded valley. Can you lead the way to where Shor's Hall waits, beckoning us on to a welcome long sought?"

"Yes, it is at the far end of the valley from here."

"I saw it fair when first I trod this long-wished path. The pain and fear vanished, dreamlike, and a vision beckoned. Shor's Hall shimmering across the clouded vale, but quenched was hope by the shrouding mist. My mind is darkened. I've lost the way and wander blindly. Hurry! Before Alduin your life devours, bring word to Shor's Hall of our hard fate."

"Follow me. I will lead you out of the mist."

"I'll try to hold to your hopeful purpose. Hurry, before the encompassing fog once more snares me."

He accompanied them for a while, but then either wandered off or was snatched by Alduin, she didn't know. A bit later on, they encountered an Imperial soldier, who spoke when they got close enough. "In life I felled foes unnumbered, fearless in battle, but no blade can defend against the terror of this gloom-stricken valley."

He didn't seem interested in conversation, but did offer a warning as they went on their way. "Beware! The World-Eater waits within the mist."

Yes, they had seen him a couple of times. That, and other human figures in the mist, but no others had approached when they crossed a brook and approached a bridge made from what appeared to be the skeleton of a whale. On the far side was a huge, majestic building that looked like something out of an architect's fondest dream, and had to be Shor's Hall of Valor. Yssha caught her breath at its splendor.

Near the bridge, a large and muscular Nord stood like he was waiting for someone or something. "I think that's Tsun, the Nord god of testing against adversity," Marcurio said softly. "Watch your step with him."

"I shall," Yssha said, and approached the man - or god - and bowed. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Tsun, shield-thane to Shor. The Whalebone Bridge he bade me guard and winnow all those souls whose heroic end sent them here, to Shor's lofty hall where welcome, well earned, awaits those I judge fit to join that fellowship of honor."

"I pursue Alduin, the World Eater."

"A fateful errand. No few have chafed to face the Worm since first he set his soul-snare here at Sovngarde's threshold. But Shor restrained our wrathful onslaught - perhaps, deep counseled, your doom he foresaw."

"I seek entrance to the Hall of Valor."

"No shade are you, as usually here passes, but living, you dare the land of the dead. By what right do you request entry?"

"By right of birth. I am Dovahkiin."

Tsun smiled. "Ah! It's been too long since last I faced a doom-driven hero of the dragon blood."

"May I enter the Hall of Valor?"

"Living or dead, by decree of Shor, none may pass this perilous bridge 'till I judge them worthy by the warrior's test." He looked at Marcurio. "That applies to both of you."

"He is my husband, Marcurio," Yssha said. "By Mara's will, our souls are united."

Tsun looked happy. "Two against one, then. This will be a most enjoyable battle."

It took effort, but after a brief time, Tsun yielded, and allowed them to cross the bridge.

When they entered the Hall, Yssha was staggered by its beauty and the joyous atmosphere. Colors seemed brighter, smells more intense, and even though this was Shor's realm, not Talos or Akatosh's, Yssha though it wonderful.

Then one of the inhabitants approached her, and Marcurio whispered, "Ysgramor!"

"Welcome, Dragonborn!" he said. "Our door has stood empty since Alduin first set his soul-snare here. By Shor's command we sheathed our blades and ventured not the vale's dark mist. But three await your word to loose their fury upon the perilous foe. Gormlaith the Fearless, glad-hearted in battle; Hakon the Valiant, heavy-handed warrior; Felldir the Old, far-seeing and grim."

"We look forward to that as well," Yssha replied politely. "But it would be a shame not to at least look around a bit, and perhaps eat. May we have that privilege?"

Ysgramor smiled, and gestured around the Hall. "Feel free, Dragonborn. Time here is not like mortal time; take as much as you like. Eat, drink, fight, rest, as much and as long as you wish."

"We thank you." And they took full advantage of the honor, moving around the tremendous Hall, speaking to the Heroes, eating and drinking their fill of the best they had ever had, resting in the most comfortable beds, until they were fully recovered from ... the previous day? A week earlier? She couldn't tell.

Finally, they were ready to go, and approached the trio near one door.

Gormlaith gave her an eager look. "At long last! Alduin's doom is now ours to seal - just speak the word and with high hearts we'll hasten forth to smite the worm wherever he lurks."

Felldir, though, was more cautious. "Hold, comrades - let us counsel take before battle is blindly joined. Alduin's mist is more than a snare - its shadowy gloom is his shield and cloak. But with four voices joined, our valor combined, we can blast the mist and bring him to battle."

Hakon joined in. "Felldir speaks wisdom - the World-Eater, coward, fears you, Dragonborn. We must drive away his mist, Shouting together, and then unsheathe our blades in desperate battle with our black-winged foe."

Yssha purred. "We also have my husband, a skilled battlemage. He cannot Shout, yet, but he helped me against Alduin at the Throat of the World, where he was forced to flee back here."

That got their attention, but no one said anything about it. Gormlaith was too eager to waste the time. "To battle, my friends! The fields will echo with the clamor of war, our wills undaunted."

All of them drew their weapons and followed Gormlaith out of the Hall and across the whalebone bridge, where they found a place the Tongues liked.

"We cannot fight the foe in this mist!" Felldir exclaimed.

"Clear Skies - combine our Shouts!" Gormlaith suggested.

"Lok Vah Keer" Yssha shouted, feeling the others join her. The mist vanished, then they heard, "Ven Mul Riik!" and it returned.

"Again!" Gormlaith urged, and again the four Shouted.

And again Alduin replied. "Ven Mul Riik!"

"We can shatter his power if we Shout together!"

"Lok Vah Keer!" came from four throats. The skies cleared, but Alduin fought back. "Ven Mul Riik!" and the mist returned.

Hakon swore. "Does his strength have no end? Is our struggle in vain?"

"Stand fast!" Gormlaith called. "His strength is failing! Once more, and his might will be broken!

Felldir agreed. "His power crumbles - do not pause for breath!"

They combined Voices again, and that cleared the skies for the final time. When Alduin appeared, she used Dragonrend, bringing him to the ground. She couldn't get to him before he was airborne again, but some of the others had, and she Shouted him down again. That cycle continued until she brought him down closely enough to her that she could use Dragonbane in conjunction with the others' weapons, and Alduin went down for the final time.

When he disintegrated, she got nothing. No soul or loot at all ... and she found she didn't care. Just eliminating the World-Eater was reward enough, though she couldn't help hoping Paarthurnax wouldn't feel angry at her for killing his brother.

"That was a mighty deed!" Tsun exclaimed. "The doom of Alduin encompassed at last, and cleansed is Sovngarde of his evil snare. They will sing of this battle in Shor's hall forever. But your fate lies elsewhere. When you have completed your count of days, I may welcome you again, with glad friendship, and bid you join the blessed feasting."

Yssha felt her ear-tips burn as she was cheered.

"All hail the Dragonborn! Hail her with great praise!"

When the cheering stopped, Tsun spoke. "Return now to Nirn, with this rich boon from Shor, my lord: a Shout to bring a hero from Sovngarde in your hour of need. Nahl ... Daal ... Vus!"

And she and Marcurio were back at the Throat of the World, in the middle of a dragon gathering, possibly a funeral or memorial, but nothing was going on yet, so she approached Paarthurnax. "So, it is done," he said. "Alduin dilon. The Eldest is no more, he who came before all others, and has always been."

"You do not sound very happy about it," Yssha said.

"Happy? No, I am not happy. Zeymahi lost ont du'ol Barmahu. Alduin was once the crown of our father Akatosh's creation. You did what was necessary. Alduin had flown far from the path of right action in his pahlok- the arrogance of his power. But I cannot celebrate his fall. Zu'u tiiraaz ahst ok mah. He was my brother once. This world will never be the same."

"I regret your sorrow, but not Alduin's death. He had to be destroyed"

"Of course. Alduin nahlaan daanii. I would have not helped you if I thought otherwise."

Wondering if she were trying to reassure Paarthurnax or herself, Yssha said, "I was just fulfilling my destiny as Dragonborn."

"Indeed, you saw more clearly than I - certainly more clearly than Alduin." Paarthurnax sighed. "Rok funta koraav. Perhaps now you have some insight into the forces that shape the vennesetiid... the currents of Time. But I forget myself. Krosis. So los mid fahdon. Melancholy is an easy trap for a dovah to fall into. You have won a mighty victory. Sahrot krongrah- one that will echo through all the ages of this world for those who have eyes to see. Savor your triumph, Dovahkiin. This is not the last of what you will write upon the currents of Time."

He paused briefly, then went on, looking a bit happier. "Many of the dovah are now scattered across Keizaal. Without Alduin's lordship, they may yet bow to the vahzen... rightness of my Thu'um. And willing or no, they will hear it!"

Paarthurnax's silence seemed to be the signal for the ceremony to start. The gathered dragons spoke in chorus. "Alduin mahlaan."

Yssha translated for Marcurio. "Alduin has fallen."

"Sahrot thur qahnaraan."

"The mighty overlord is vanquished.""

"Alduin mahlaan. Dovahkiin los ok dovahkriid.

"The Dragonborn is his dragonslayer."

"Alduin mahlaan. Thu'umii los nahlot."

"His Shouts are silenced."

"Alduin mahlaan. Mu los vomir."

"We are free."

With that, the dragons took flight, and Paarthurnax called, "Fare the well, Dovahkiin!"

Yssha and Marcurio watched them leave, one by one, until only Odahviing was left, and he landed near them. "Pruzah wundunne wah Wuth Gein," he said. "I wish the Old One luck in his ... quest. But I doubt many will wish to exchange Alduin's lordship for the tyranny of Paarthurnax's 'Way of the Voice.' As for myself, you've proven your mastery twice over. Thuri, Dovahkiin. I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu'um. Zu'u Odahviing. Call me when you have need, and I will come if I can."

He took off without waiting for an acknowledgement, and after a few moments of silence, Yssha began walking down the mountain toward High Hrothgar. She needed time to think and readjust to Mundus before she spoke to anyone, including Marcurio. Fortunately, he appeared to think the same way, so it was a silent, and strangely undisturbed, trip.

It was a good thing they had been in Sovngarde so briefly, she mused. Had it been any longer, she might have found the loss of its peaceful yet vibrant atmosphere, with Alduin dead, nearly unbearable. But most of their time there had been spent in Alduin's mist or in combat, neither particularly pleasant, so they had been exposed to the good part only briefly. Nor did she find an eternity of eating, drinking, fighting, and bragging particularly appealing, however good the company. So she was almost back to normal by the time they entered High Hrothgar and found the Greybeards at their conference table, waiting.

Arngeir rose and spoke to them. "I can see it in your eyes. You've seen the land of the Gods and returned. Does this mean ... it is done? Is Alduin truly defeated?"

Yssha nodded. "Yes. We went to Sovngarde and killed Alduin there"

"At last. It is over. Perhaps it was all worth it in the end. You've shown yourself mighty, both in Voice and deed. In order to defeat Alduin, you've gained mastery of dreadful weapons. Now it is up to you to decide what to do with your power and skill. Will you be a hero whose name is remembered in song throughout the ages? Or will your name be a curse to future generations? Or will you merely fade from history, unremembered? Let the Way of the Voice be your guide, and the path of wisdom will be clear to you. Breath and focus, Dragonborn. Your future lies before you."

"I wonder if Alduin is really dead, though. I did not absorb his soul when he disintegrated."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Arngeir said philosophically. "Dragons are not like normal mortal creatures, and Alduin is unique even among dragonkind. He may be permitted to return at the end of time to fulfill his destiny as the World-Eater. But that is for the Gods to decide. You have done your part."


	32. Interlude

**Author's Note: I apologize for the very short chapter, but I didn't want to scatter reactions too far, so I stuck to these for the moment. You'll get another longer chapter tomorrow.**

* * *

Chapter 32 - Interlude

11 Rain's Hand, 4E 202

Their return to Whiterun was ... strange. Everyone seemed to know what had happened, in some way Yssha didn't understand - one of the gate guards even said, "You have vanquished a great evil from Skyrim. You saved us all and our very souls," as he opened the gate for them. "All of us thank you for that."

Inside the city, she got a similar comment from Adrianne when she stopped by to express her appreciation of the dragon armor. "How did you know?" she asked. "We only just got back."

Adrianne smiled. "The clergy told us. The Nine thought it important enough to give all of their representatives full details of the battle, so they could reassure their people. I imagine the bards are busy composing sagas as we speak."

Yssha groaned. "I hope I do not hear them as many times as I have heard 'The Dragonborn Comes'!"

Adrianne laughed. "If you want to avoid them, you'll probably have to stay out of taverns and inns! This is too momentous for us to not want to hear about it. And the Jarl has declared this day an annual holiday, even though this time the actual celebration will be a day late, because we had no time to prepare for much today. I'm betting that's true for all the Jarls."

"I hope I am allowed to live as a normal person the rest of the time," Yssha said, hopeful but not too sure it would happen.

"Maybe after a week or so," Adrianne said. "You'll have to expect some extra attention until people get used to the idea that the World-Eater is dead, and you're the one who did it."

Yssha nodded, resigned. "As long as things return to normal not too far from now. Alduin is dead, yes, but I am not, and I must still make a living. And I suppose the Jarl will want to see us as soon as we can get to Dragonsreach."

"Probably, so you'd better get going. I don't want him getting angry with me because I monopolized your attention."

"I understand. Thank you for the news, though. I will see you later."

As the two made their way toward Dragonsreach through streets full of happy - and several already-drunk - Nords, they got smiles, cheers, and congratulations. In a way, it was nice, but Yssha was also a bit uncomfortable. This much attention would become wearing if it lasted too long.

It was a relief to get into Dragonsreach, away from most of the crowds, but even here, the main hall was more crowded than usual. Probably everyone in the palace whose work could be interrupted was here, as well as the ones she usually saw, but they cleared a way for the two to approach the throne.

The Jarl stood when he saw her coming, and as soon as she got up on the throne dais, said, "Welcome, Lady Dragonborn! This is a momentous day for Skyrim, indeed for all of Tamriel and Nirn itself! You already have all the honors I am able to bestow, but know this service is worth anything the Emperor himself could give you."

Yssha bowed politely. "I hope that when the clerics told people the news, they remembered to mention that I did not do it alone. It took the combined power of four Voices to clear Alduin's mist and force him to ground, where he was vulnerable to the five of us."

"They did, but that doesn't lessen your accomplishment." The Jarl turned to Marcurio. "As the other mortal hero of the Battle of Sovngarde, I would be honored if you would allow me to name you a Thane of Whiterun."

"The honor would be mine, Jarl Balguuf," Marcurio replied.

Balgruuf smiled. "I'd offer you anything in my armory, but what you have is better than anything there. Still, if you see anything you can use, feel free to take it."

"Thank you, my Jarl."

"Now," Balguuf said. "I'm sure you heard on the way up here that I've declared the eleventh of Rain's Hand an annual festival throughout Whiterun Hold, and that this year's celebration will be tomorrow. Can you stay for it?"

She didn't really want to, but couldn't think of an honest reason not to, so she nodded. "We can and will, my Jarl."

He smiled happily. "Thank you. You must be tired, so don't let me keep you from a well-earned rest."

Sovngarde had healed their post-battle fatigue as well as their wounds, but this was as good an excuse as any, so the two headed to their apartment.

Once they were out of armor and settled into comfortable chairs with mead for Marcurio and wine for Yssha, she sighed. "I am sorry I had to commit us to tomorrow's celebration, beloved, but I thought I, at least, owed it to the Jarl and the friends I have made here not to run out on their party, as we did at Lydia's reception."

"I'd rather go out on a nice profitable dungeon run," Marcurio said, "but you did the right thing, dearling. Even if it does mean being polite to everyone for a full day." He shrugged. "At least I'll have it better than you will. Worst comes to worst, I can get drunk and pass out."

"And I will have to stay at least relatively sober for the whole thing," Yssha agreed. "I have a very odd feeling that I will be looking forward to nightfall most of the day."

"Probably so," Marcurio said with a chuckle. "I know I would be, in that position. But after tomorrow, what?"

"We have much to do, now that the war is over and Alduin gone," she said. "Let me see if I can remember everything we postponed until those were done." She thought for some time. "First, I think, will have to be reporting to Maven about what we found at the former Honingbrew Meadery. Then, with another war coming, I believe I should prepare as much as possible, since this one will be Tamriel-wide rather than restricted to Skyrim. That means joining the College of Winterhold to learn spells and hopefully improve my magica reserves. We should also speak to Arngeir about finding more Words of Power. Of lesser importance, I would like to find out what is bothering Kodlak, and hopefully aid him with it.

"There is also the invitation to join the Dawnguard and kill vampires, as well as travel to Solstheim to investigate those cultists who called me False Dragonborn and tried to kill us. Plus I have made promises to several people to find or recover various items, such as Mjoll's sword.

"Not least, I need to speak to Odahviing and find out what being his thur - overlord - means. That may also have significance to the war effort."

Marcurio laughed. "Well, it doesn't look like life is going to get boring any time soon! And those are just the things we know about. In Skyrim, there's always something unexpected popping up to surprise you ... usually at inconvenient times."

The celebration wasn't as trying as Yssha had expected. Yes, everyone wanted to talk to her, and many pressed gifts on her that it would be rude to refuse - the most touching, a tenth-septim bit from an orphan girl that she would have refused, but for the look on the girl's face. And at least the child would eat well this day, she knew, because of the wonderful feast the Jarl had provided. Even Brenuin, the town drunk, gave her an opened bottle of mead. She took a swallow, thanked him, and returned it, to his obvious relief, which made her smile.

Up in the Cloud District, she ran into Kodlak, who smiled at her. "Is Sovngarde as wonderful as the priests say, Lady Dragonborn?"

"I only experienced a brief time of it outside Alduin's influence, Harbinger," she said. "But that brief time ... it was - truly, I have no words to describe its beauty or how it felt. Whatever the priests say of it can be only a pale shadow."

His expression when she said that was equally indescribable. "I ... hesitate to take you away from your celebration, Lady Dragonborn. But ... if you could join me in Jorrvaskr for a few moments?"

This was her chance, so Yssha nodded. "Truly, Harbinger, it would be a relief to be away form the crowd for a time. I am not used to this."

She followed him up the stairs, then into the living chambers, where they sat down at what seemed to be his usual table. "How much do you know of the Companions?" he asked.

"Very little," Yssha admitted. "That they are an ancient company of warriors, descended from Ysgramor's 500 Companions, and that it is a great honor to be invited to become a Companion." She smiled. "It was Ysgramor who greeted us when Marcurio and I were allowed to enter the Hall of Valor. He struck me as being much like you." For some reason, that made Kodlak wince.

"What is wrong?"

"We are no longer as Ysgramor left us. One of my predecessors was a good, but short-sighted man. He made a bargain with the witches of Glenmoril Coven. If the Companions would hunt in the name of their lord, Hircine, we would be granted great power."

"Hircine? They became werewolves?" That would have been a terrible fate!

"They did not believe the change would be permanent. The witches offered payment, like anyone else. But we had been deceived."

Yssha snarled. "Witches do that. And lycanthropy is a curse, in my people's eyes."

"To me, as well," Kodlak said. "Upon death, werewolves are claimed by Hircine for his Hunting Grounds. For some, like Skjor and Aela, this is a paradise. They want nothing more than to chase prey with their master for eternity. And that is their choice. But I am still a true Nord. And I wish for Sovngarde as my spirit home."

Yssha studied him for some time before speaking again. "I am certain Talos and Ysgramor would provide a way to return to full human, but I do not know it."

Kodlak's answer was eager. "That's what I've spent my twilight years trying to find out. And now I've found the answer. The witches' magic ensnared us, and only their magic can release us. They won't give it willingly, but we can extract their foul powers by force. If you truly want to help me, and a couple of the others, you'll need to seek the Witches out. Go to their coven in the wilderness. Strike them down as a true warrior of the wild. And bring me their heads. The seat of their abilities. From there, we may begin to undo centuries of impurity."

"It will be done, Harbinger." Yssha did something she rarely did, baring her fangs as if hunting prey. This one was going to be _fun_!

She returned to the celebration then, continuing to circulate and chat and accept gifts, until dusk began to fall and she felt like she could return to Dragonsreach, her social duties done.

Once there, she collapsed with a glass of mead. While it had been better than she expected, she was glad to get away from the celebration.

* * *

Naturally, the Nine didn't restrict their revelations to Skyrim. Elsewhere, though, stories of the World-Eater and Dragonborn were regarded mostly as quaint Skyrim legends, and the news as just a mildly interesting addition to and ending for the tale. There were occasional exceptions in every province - or former province - of Tamriel, especially where dragons had taken up residence, such as the northern mountains in High Rock and Hammerfell.

Two of the most notable exceptions were the Emperor himself, and Ysshaya, founder of that Clan and Family. They knew each other, of course, and over the course of Titus Mede's reign, had become good friends. She had told him, when she took up supervising Yssha's training personally, that she foresaw her greats-granddaughter following in her footsteps, so she wasn't surprised when, shortly after she received the message from Martin, she also received an invitation from Titus to visit when she had some free time.

Now that Yssha was in Skyrim, and Ysshaya had no special trainees to watch over, free time was one thing she had plenty of. She waited until she was reasonably sure he'd be done with audiences, and 'ported to the living room of his private quarters. While she waited, she helped herself to some wine and cheese, curling up in the chair that had become "hers".

When he entered the room and chuckled, she uncurled. "Hi, Titus. You wanted to see me?"

"Uh-huh." He poured himself some wine as well, and settled into a nearby chair. "It seems you were right about Yssha. She is most definitely special."

Ysshaya cat-grinned. "That she is, my friend. Although I must admit, this whole Dragonborn thing takes me by surprise."

"Well, she hasn't followed completely in your footsteps, despite your prediction. For which I'm personally grateful, since by destroying the Dark Brotherhood, she saved me from Armaund's assassination plot."

Ysshaya purred. "Yes, it was gratifying that she took my advice to heart. As I heard the rumors, she killed all in their Skyrim sanctuary and then burned it out."

"That's what Commander Maro reported, yes." The Emperor chuckled. "I'd like to meet her. I don't suppose you've gotten that Telepathy spell working yet, to let her know?"

Ysshaya wrinkled her nose in frustration. "No, and I've begun to think the Nine don't want me to have it. I'm afraid you'll have to send a courier, as usual."

The Emperor sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that. But not a usual courier; for this, I'll use the relay riders of the Legion." He paused, looking hopeful. "She's been to the Palace, so she probably has a teleport target somewhere nearby. At least she'll be here shortly after she gets my message."

Ysshaya shook her head regretfully. "Not unless she's found a way to build up her magica reserves. It's too far for what she had when she left."

"Damn. A month at least, then. And probably more, given the weather reports from the area around Pale Pass."

"True. You'll just have to be patient, my friend."

"And hope she survives to get my message," Titus said sourly. "Maro says the Thalmor have her on their kill-on-sight list."

"Oh, really?" Ysshaya bared her fangs. "I'm sure they'll regret that, especially if I take my Knights into Skyrim."

Titus sighed. "I'd really rather you don't. But I do have a mission for you, if you're interested."

Ysshaya snarled. "Only if you give my greats-granddaughter permission to kill the Thalmor, who after all wish to kill her."

Titus' grin almost matched hers. "I was forced into this damnable treaty, remember, just to save what was left of the Empire. But I cannot, and will not, refuse any of my subjects the right to protect themselves from violence." He paused. "And personally, I hope she kills every Thalmor in Skyrim. Unfortunately, I can't decree that throughout what remains of the Empire. Yet."

Ysshaya grinned. "Good enough, my friend. Now what mission would you want of me and my Knights?"

"Visit the Mane in Elsweyr," he said promptly. It had split into its two original kingdoms again, but he still thought of it that way. "See if you can convince him to throw out the Dominion and rejoin the Empire."

Ysshaya frowned. "That will be difficult, but it may be achievable. We'll leave as soon as we gather the proper supplies."

"Good. I have faith in you."


	33. Scoundrel's Folly

**My apologies for being late with this, but I hadn't expected to have to repair the lawnmower today. I hope you will forgive me.**

* * *

Chapter 33 - Scoundrel's Folly

When Yssha and Marcurio reported their success to Maven Black-Briar, now Jarl of Riften, she gave them a reward, then said, "I heard that Balgruuf named both of you as Thanes, and others are planning the same thing thanks to your exploits defeating the World-Eater. I suppose I shouldn't be the only exception, so by my power as Jarl, I name you both Thanes of Riften, and I give you permission to buy Honeyside. Speak to Hemming if you want to buy and furnish it. Iona's your housecarl. Just stay out of my way and out of politics. Now go see Mercer."

"Yes, my Jarl," they replied in chorus.

"Then we're done here. Oh, and congratulations."

Clearly dismissed, they left Mistview Keep, and went to the Cistern, where Mercer Frey was waiting. "Ah, there you are. I've consulted my contacts regarding the information you recovered from Goldenglow Estate, but no one can identify that symbol."

"The promissory note I found at Honningbrew Meadery had the same mark," Yssha told him.

"It would seem our adversary is attempting to take us apart indirectly by angering Maven Black-Briar. Very clever." Mercer sounded almost admiring, Yssha thought.

"Maybe we should recruit them."

"You jest, but they've been able to avoid identification for years. They're obviously well-funded, driven and patient." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Just don't mistake my admiration for complacency; our nemesis is going to pay dearly."

"How can that be done?"

Mercer smiled grimly. "Because, even after all their posturing and planning, they've made a mistake. The parchment you recovered mentions a 'Gajul-Lei.' According to my sources, that's an old alias used by one of our contacts. His real name is Gulum-Ei. Slimy bastard."

Yssha nodded. "Very well. Where should we begin?"

"Gulum-Ei is our inside man at the East Empire Company in Solitude. I'm betting he acted as a go-between for the sale of Goldenglow Estate and that he can finger our buyer. Get out there, shake him down and see what you come up with. Talk to Brynjolf before you leave if you have any questions."

"Is there anything more you can tell me?"

"When Gulum-Ei was getting us merchandise from the East Empire Company, we were making a hefty profit. It was so lucrative, I was considering moving the Guild to Solitude to save us time. But he started to get greedy and cut us out of the deal. Almost can't say I blame the scaly bastard. It started out innocent enough; he kept claiming the shipments were light because of Imperial interference. Then, maybe a few years ago, it all stopped. He didn't even bother to contact us any more."

They left then. She didn't have any questions, but she did like the big red-head, so they went into the Ragged Flagon, where Brynjolf smiled when he saw them. "So you two have been to Sovngarde and back, lass. And are you still interested in the Guild?"

Yssha nodded. "Yes. Like greats-grandmother, I may be a hero out of legend, but I still have to eat, and being a legendary hero does not come with a salary."

Brynjolf laughed, as did a couple of others, and when she glanced around, the rest were smiling. "Yes, the Guild pays well," Brynjolf said. "Just be damn careful what jobs you take on, and _don't get caught_. Delvin has orders to make sure none of your jobs are the kind that'll need somebody inconspicuous, because you certainly aren't. Especially now."

Yssha sighed. "I am all too aware of that, my friend. I had thought to live a more private life here than I could in Cyrodiil, where I am known as a greats-granddaughter of the Champion of Cyrodiil and all her other titles. Now I find myself as renowned as she is, at least in Skyrim."

"Which can be a royal pain, in our line of work. But it isn't insuperable. Tell me, lass, what's Mercer got you doing now?"

"Getting some information from Gulum-Ei."

"I can't believe Gulum-Ei's mixed up in all this; that Argonian couldn't find his tail with both hands. Don't get me wrong, he could scam a beggar out of his last septim ... but he's no mastermind."

"Do you think he will give me any trouble?"

Brynjolf laughed again. "Trouble? He's one of the most stubborn lizards I've ever met! You have your work cut out for you. You're going to have to buy him off; it's the only way to get his attention. If that fails, follow him and see what he's up to. If I know Gulum-Ei, he's in way over his head and you'll be able to use it as leverage."

"It sounds to me like he owes the Guild much," Yssha said thoughtfully.

"Aye, he does indeed ... and with his fingers in the East Empire Company's pie, we'll make good use of that debt. If I'm not being clear enough, that means we don't want him killed."

"You need not be concerned. Unless he attacks me, I will not harm him."

"I'm glad to see you're embracing our methods. It would be a waste to lose a contact at the East Empire Company before we had the entire story. For now, just keep on his tail and he's bound to step into something he can't scrape off his boot."

They found Gulum-Ei in the Winking Skeever, the first place they tried, sitting in a private nook and eating. He looked up when they approached. "So, what do we have here? Hmm. Let me guess. By your scent, I'd say you were from the Guild. But that can't be true, because I told Mercer I wouldn't deal with them anymore."

"Can you tell me anything about the Goldenglow transaction?"

"I don't deal in land or property. Now, if you're looking for goods, you've come to the right person."

Yssha sighed. "Your alias was mentioned in the documents I found there."

"Oh, wait ... did you say Goldenglow Estate? My apologies. I'm sorry to say I know very little about that ... bee farm, was it?"

When she nodded, then continued to press him, he proved to be as stubborn as Brynjolf had said. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't be expected to remember every deal I handle."

Well, Brynjolf _had_ said she would have to buy him off. "Is there no way I can persuade you to cooperate?"

"I have a buyer looking for a case of Firebrand Wine. There just so happens to be a single case in the Blue Palace. Bring it to me, and we'll talk about Goldenglow Estate."

That sounded easy, and she probably wouldn't even have to steal it if she spoke to the Jarl's steward first. Knowing they were usually close to the Jarl, she went up a wide staircase to the throne room. Jarl Elisif the Fair was holding audiences, but when she saw the pair, she stood and approached them. "Lady Dragonborn and Marcurio - the Victors of Sovngarde! What can Solitude do for you?"

"I understand you have a case of Firebrand wine. I should like to purchase it."

"That won't be necessary, Lady Dragonborn." Elisif smiled. "I give it to you happily. You have saved my Hold, city, and people, as well as the rest of Nirn. I promised myself that day that if you came here, I would offer both of you Thaneships. Would you do us the honor of accepting that, Proudspire Manor, and Jordis the Swordmaiden as your housecarl?"

Yssha and Marcurio both bowed, and Yssha said, "We would be honored, my Jarl."

When Elisif had spoken the usual formula, she smiled again. "See Falk Firebeard when you wish to furnish it. He will give you the wine now."

Shortly afterward, they were carrying the wine back toward the Winking Skeever. Yssha asked Marcurio, "Beloved, is that going to happen every time we visit a Jarl?"

"Very probably, dearling," Marcurio said calmly. "Like Balgruuf said when he gave you your first Thaneship, it's the greatest honor they can offer. And we fought and won in what must be the most important battle this world has ever seen. You're the Dragonborn, the one they really want, I'm sure, but since I fought there too, they probably feel obliged to honor me, as well. At this rate, we'll have homes in every single hold, eventually."

"It is rather embarrassing," Yssha said. "But they are so eager - except for Maven - that I feel it would be unbearably rude to refuse them."

"Unless you have a damn good reason for refusing, they'd take it as an insult, yes."

They were near the Skeever then, so they dropped that conversation, went into the inn, and delivered the wine. "Good," the Argonian said. "Can't have the buyer getting impatient and looking elsewhere for this, can we? Here, take these. I certainly can't use them, but I suppose I need to pay you something for the goods."

To her surprise, Gulum-Ei handed her some soul gems, worth far more than the wine. She studied them briefly, then cocked her head. "Are you bribing me, now?"

"Not at all. I consider it an investment in prolonging my life. As far as Goldenglow Estate goes, I'll tell you what I know."

He took a breath before continuing. "I was approached by a woman who wanted me to act as the broker for something big. She flashed a bag of gold in my face and said all I had to do was pay Aringoth for the estate. I brought him the coin and walked away with her copy of the deed."

"Do you have any idea why she wanted it?"

"Not at all. I tend not to ask too many questions when I'm on the job. I'm sure you understand. However, I did notice she was quite angry and it was being directed at Mercer Frey."

"I suppose you do not know her name."

He shook his head. "In this business we rarely deal in names; our identity comes from how much coin we carry."

"Is there anything more, anything at all, that you can tell me?"

"Look, that's all I know. I never promised you I'd have all the answers. Now, since our transaction is done, I'll be on my way." He stood and left.

They followed him out of the inn, going into stealth mode and staying as far back as they could. He led them into and through the East Empire Company warehouse, passing several guards who backed off when they saw the Dragonborn and Hero. She was glad. These weren't men doing their jobs, not bandits, and she really didn't want to kill them.

Then Gulum-Ei went underwater, and again they followed, soon emerging to follow him through a hidden door. They had to dodge a couple of traps, then heard voices ahead, voices whose discussion told them this was a bandit den. They stopped to check the magical charges on their weapons and recharge her mace, then kept going. It was a cavern that followed a river, narrow and with a pathway that wandered from side to side over the river via bridges. They ran into bandits from time to time, but after Deathlords, frost trolls, and dragons, even two or three of those at a time weren't much of a challenge. Finally they got to the end of the long cavern, and after finishing off a few last bandits, confronted Gulum-Ei.

He had witnessed the final battle, and was almost babbling. "Now, there's no need to do anything rash ... This isn't as bad as it seems. I was going to tell Mercer about everything, honestly! Please ... he'll have me killed!"

"If you tell me the woman's name, I will tell Mercer nothing about your ... ah ... personal operations." Yssha let him hear her amused purr.

"Karliah," he said, obviously relieved. "It was Karliah."

Her ears went forward, alert. "Who is Karliah?"

"Mercer never told you about her?" Gulum-Ei was clearly surprised. "Karliah is the thief responsible for murdering the previous Guild Master, Gallus. Now she's after Mercer."

"Then why did you help her? Would it not have been more profitable to report her to Mercer?"

"Help ... ? No, no! Look, I didn't even know it was her until after she contacted me. He'd never have accepted that. Please, you have to believe me!"

"Then do you have any idea where she is?"

"No, I don't know. When I asked her where she was going she just muttered, 'Where the end began'." Here, take the Goldenglow Estate deed as proof. And when you speak to Mercer, tell him I'm worth more to him alive."

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Consider it a gift to ensure your silence. That thing seems to be bringing me nothing but trouble anyway. Karliah didn't even want it, she wanted to keep the sale a secret. I can see how well that went."

"I will tell Mercer nothing but the essentials of who and where. But I would appreciate your own silence, about my connections with the Guild."

"Now you're speaking my language, Lady Dragonborn. I'm not a snitch; your secret is safe with me. Tell you what. If you need any stolen goods fenced, you bring them to me and I'll pay you good money for them. Consider me your new friend in the north. Now you won't forget to tell Mercer I cooperated, will you?"

"I will not forget." Yssha cat-grinned, then she and Marcurio turned and left.

* * *

When they got back to the Cistern, Mercer was waiting, looking impatient, so Yssha wasted no time getting to him. "Did Gulum-Ei give up any information on our buyer?" he asked.

"Yes, Guildmaster. He was most helpful. The buyer was a woman named Karliah."

At that, he looked stunned. "No, it ... it can't be. I haven't heard that name in decades. This is grave news indeed; she's someone I hoped to never cross paths with again."

"Gulum-Ei mentioned that he had killed someone called Gallus."

"Karliah destroyed everything this Guild stood for. She murdered my predecessor in cold blood and betrayed the Guild. After we discovered what she'd done, we spent months trying to track her down, but she just vanished."

"I am puzzled. Then why has she returned?"

"Karliah and I were like partners. I went with her on every heist. We watched each other's backs. I know her techniques, her skills. If she kills me, there'll be no one left that could possibly catch her. If only we knew where she was ..."

Yssha shook her head. "Gulum-Ei did not know. But he told me that when he asked, she told him 'where the end began'."

Mercer nodded, slowly. "There's only one place that could be. The place where she murdered Gallus ... a ruin called Snow Veil Sanctum. We have to go out there before she disappears again."

"Us? You wish Marcurio and me to go along?"

"Yes, I'm going with you and together we're going to kill her. Prepare yourself and meet me at the ruins as soon as you can. We can't let her slip through our fingers. But this is strictly a Guild matter. Your husband stays outside."

Yssha didn't like that at all, but nodded. At least Marcurio would be waiting to rejoin her when they were done. "Yes, Guildmaster."


	34. Mercer's Treachery

.

Chapter 34 - Mercer's Treachery

Snow Veil Sanctum was northeast of Fort Kastav, so Yssha took them to that teleport point. It looked like a four to five hour trip, through fairly easy terrain, and the weather was decent, so they made good time, with no unusual encounters. When they arrived, Mercer was waiting at an abandoned camp near the entrance, along with a dead horse. Yssha was glad to see the camp, since it would give Marcurio some shelter while he waited.

When they were close enough to speak, Mercer addressed her. "Good, you're finally here. I've scouted the ruins and I'm certain Karliah is still inside."

"You have not seen her?"

"No, I found her horse. Don't worry, I took care of it ... she won't be using it to escape. Let's get moving, I want to catch her inside while she's distracted. Take the lead."

Yssha wasn't happy with someone whose skills and fighting style she was unfamiliar with being behind her, and Mercer certainly wasn't a mage, which also made her uncomfortable, but she nodded and took the lead, descending into the central pit. "Just make certain you keep your eyes open," he said from behind her. "Karliah is as sharp as a blade. The last thing I need is you blundering into a trap and warning her that we're here."

The door was locked, and she realized quickly that her lockpicking skills weren't up to this particular lock, so she stood aside to give Mercer the chance. He gave a running commentary as he worked. "They say that these ancient Nordic burial mounds are sometimes impenetrable. This one doesn't look too difficult. Quite simple really, I don't know what the fuss is about these locks. All it takes is a bit of know-how and a lot of skill." Once he got it open, he said, "That should do it. After you."

Once they got inside, he commented, "The stench in here ... this place smells of death. Be on your guard."

It was a Nordic ruin, Yssha thought. It was undoubtedly guarded by draugr, so of course it would smell of death. How did he not know, if he had been here before?

The first draugr they found was dead, at least, but when she opened a chest, another woke, and she had to kill it.

The next room held several more draugr dead on the floor, and Mercer proved he had indeed been here before. "Pull the chain over there, and watch out for the spikes. Looks like Karliah reset all of the traps."

When more draugr woke and attacked, Mercer also proved he was an excellent swordsman, and she relaxed a bit. She would still have preferred Marcurio, but at least Mercer could take care of himself and help her when needed. They moved onward, fighting draugr and avoiding traps, until they came to a chamber decorated with bone chimes. She was a little insulted when Mercer said, "Bone chimes ... clever. Rigged to wake the draugr, I'd bet. Don't blunder into any of them." Oblivion take it, she knew that! But he was the Guildmaster, so she didn't say anything.

Unfortunately, there were so many of the bone chimes that it was impossible to avoid all of them, and they were soon neck-deep in more draugr. That was a longer fight, and they ran into even more, and tougher, as they continued through the ruin. And there were more traps to avoid. Despite the difficulties Karliah was putting them through, Yssha found herself admiring her opponent's devotion to security precautions.

Eventually, and after several stops for her to heal both of them, they came to a metal gate she opened with a pull chain. When they passed that, Mercer commented, "We're on the right track. She's been through here as well."

Another Deathlord, then a flight of stairs, leading to a wooden double door, and Mercer cautioned her yet again. "That door up ahead ... looks perfect for hiding an ambush. Be ready."

As soon as they entered, Yssha heard the chanting of a Word Wall, but of course there were more Deathlords and a Death Overlord to deal with first. More combat, more healing, and she was certain she'd never make another dungeon run without Marcurio. Her magica reserves simply weren't great enough to constantly heal two people, and her supply of healing potions was rapidly dwindling.

At last, she was able to get to the Word Wall and absorb Zuun, Weapon. When that happened, Mercer looked intrigued, but said nothing, and they continued. More bear traps, then they came to a Nordic puzzle wall. Since she didn't have a claw, she thought they were at a dead end.

Until, that was, Mercer approached it and began another of his running commentaries. "Ah, it's one of the infamous Nordic puzzle doors. How quaint. Without the matching claw, they're normally impossible to open. And since I'm certain Karliah already did away with it, we're on our own ... fortunately, these doors have a weakness if you know how to exploit it. Quite simple, really ... Karliah's close. I'm certain of it. Now let's get moving."

Almost as soon as they entered, she was hit by an arrow and fell down a flight of steps, totally paralyzed. As she lay there immobile, though, she was still able to see and hear.

Mercer, sounding amused, said, "Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?"

A woman's voice: "Give me a reason to try."

"You're a clever girl, Karliah," Mercer said. "Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired."

Karliah again: "'To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies.' It was the first lesson Gallus taught us."

"You always were a quick study," Mercer said.

Karliah's response startled Yssha. "Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive."

Mercer sounded bitter this time. "Gallus had his wealth and he had you. All he had to do was look the other way."

"Did you forget the oath we took as Nightingales?" Karliah snapped. "Did you expect him to simply ignore your methods?"

"Enough of this mindless banter!" Mercer retorted. "Come, Karliah. It's time for you and Gallus to become reunited!"

"I'm no fool, Mercer. Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise the next time we meet, it will be your undoing." She vanished, and Mercer descended the steps to where Yssha lay helpless, his sword still in his hand.

"How interesting. It appears Gallus's history has repeated itself. Karliah has provided me with the means to be rid of you, and this ancient tomb becomes your final resting place. But do you know what intrigues me the most? The fact that this was all possible because of you. Farewell. I'll be certain to give Brynjolf your regards."

Yssha felt the blade enter her chest, and everything went dark.

* * *

To her utter astonishment, Yssha woke to the cold outside Snow Veil Sanctum, instead of back in Sovngarde or some other part of Aetherius. She began to rise, seeing Karliah and Marcurio approaching. Karliah called, "Easy, easy. Don't get up so quickly. How are you feeling?"

"At least I am not dead. But you shot me, and I thought Mercer had finished me off."

"Yes, I shot you, but that saved your life. My arrow was tipped with a unique paralytic poison. It slowed your heart and kept you from bleeding out. Had I intended to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Yssha cast Healing on herself, feeling her husband's spell joining hers. "I do not understand. Why would you save me?"

"My original intention was to use that arrow on Mercer, but I never had a clear shot. I made a split second decision to get you out of the way and it prevented your death."

"Then I am in your debt."

"As am I," Marcurio added. "And others. Do you know who she is?"

"No. Should I?" Karliah studied her victim/patient, and went as pale as a Dunmer could. "Dragonborn! Then I'm glad I used that arrow on you, rather than Mercer. The poison on it took me a year to perfect, and I only had enough for a single shot. All I had hoped was to capture Mercer alive."

Yssha made it to her feet before asking, "Why do you wish to do that?"

"Mercer must be brought to the Guild to answer for what he's done. He needs to pay for Gallus's murder."

"I agree, but how can that be proven? The entire Guild - except for me, now - believes you to be the guilty one."

"My purpose in using Snow Veil Sanctum to ambush Mercer wasn't simply for irony's sake. Before the two of you arrived, I recovered a journal from Gallus's remains. I suspect the information we need is written inside."

"That could indeed help," Yssha agreed. "What does it say?"

Karliah grimaced. "I wish I knew. The journal is written in some sort of language I've never seen before."

"I am sure someone could translate it," Yssha said. "Unfortunately, I am too new to Skyrim to know who that might be."

Karliah suddenly looked excited. "Enthir ... Gallus's friend at the College of Winterhold. Of course ... he's the only outsider Gallus trusted with the knowledge of his Nightingale identity."

Yssha frowned in puzzlement. "I have heard that word before. What does it mean?"

"There were three of us. Myself, Gallus and Mercer. We were an anonymous splinter of the Thieves Guild in Riften. Perhaps I'll tell you more about it later. Right now, you need to head for Winterhold with the journal and get the translation. Here, take these as well, they may prove useful for your journey." She handed Yssha some poisons. Yssha put them in her pack, knowing she would most likely sell, rather than use, them. "Thank you. Can you not come along with us?"

"I'm afraid not. There are preparations to make and Gallus's remains to lay to rest. I promise to join you there as soon as I can."

"Very well. We are off, then."

They found Enthir at the Frozen Hearth, but although he was able to identify the language as Falmer, he couldn't read it without a translation key he thought she could get from Calcelmo, the Court Mage at Markarth. That wouldn't take long, since they' been there before, but since they were in Winterhold, she decided she might as well join the College so she could start improving her spells and magica.

Faralda was on guard again, but this time she welcomed them with a smile instead of a test. "Go on up," she said. "If you're here to join us this time, Mirabelle is probably in the courtyard . Oh, and we got a replacement watchdog. This one is called Ancano, and he's every bit as much a pain in the derriere as the one you had to kill. But the Arch-Mage had a long talk with him, and I think he's less likely to try anything."

"As long as he does not attack us, we will do our best to be polite."

"He won't make it easy, but I'm sure Savos will appreciate your restraint."

They did indeed find Mirabelle in the courtyard, having an argument with the new Thalmor, who gave Yssha a hate-filled glare, but all he did was stalk off. Mirabelle smiled at them. "Are you here to join the Colllege, Lady Dragonborn?"

Yssha nodded. "I have much to learn of magic, and now that the war is over and Alduin dead, I hope to have the leisure to pursue such studies."

"Let me show you around a bit, then." She did so, surprising Yssha by pointing out a room she could use - doorless, so Yssha decided against that - and pointing out that there were soul gems and alchemy ingredients on the second floor of the Hall of Countenance she was free to use, along with the alchemy and enchanting tables. That could be useful until Lakeview Manor was finished, and her own alchemy and enchanting labs were done. She'd been using Farengar's, in what little time she'd had free, but she hated disturbing him.

Once the grand tour was over, Mirabelle told them Tolfdir, the senior Alteration Master, was teaching an introductory lesson to some fellow students, and she should join them. She and Marcurio did so, unfortunately totally disrupting the class until both Tolfdir and her fellow students got used to their new class member.

Finally, things got back under control, and Tolfdir began the lesson by asking for the students' opinions of magical safety. Finally, he got to her. "And what of you, Lady Dragonborn? Unlike your classmates, you have considerable combat experience; what do you think?"

"I agree with you, Master Tolfdir. Safety is quite important, and not only in magic. One who is injured or dead cannot fight. But sometimes risks must be taken, and in those cases, one must know one's limits, and try not to exceed them."

Tolfdir chuckled, and turned to the others. "There you have it, from one whose courage and honor are unquestionable. I would suggest you consider that carefully. Especially you, J'zargo. '

J'Zargo grinned. "This one will always listen to a descendant of the revered Ysshaya, and especially to the Dragonborn herself."

"Good." Tolfdir's attention returned to Yssha. "We will be setting out for an archaeological expedition to Saarthal tomorrow. It should take some time, so if you're delayed, it shouldn't be a problem. But it would be well if you joined us as soon as you can."

Yssha purred. "Thank you, Master Tolfdir. I will indeed be delayed, but I will join you as soon as I may."

"Class dismissed, then."

They spent the night in comfort, at their apartment in Dragonsreach, then after a private breakfast, 'ported to Markarth, where she asked directions to Calcelmo. She was directed up all too many staircases to Understone Keep, then to a slope littered with stones, until they reached an open area where a mage was hunched over an alchemy table. "Master Calcelmo?" she called.

He turned, obviously impatient. "Yes, yes? I'm busy, and I'm not hiring any more guards."

"I am not looking for employment. I understand you are a most learned scholar."

This time, he smiled. "Yes. I am the most recognized scholar on the Dwemer in all of Tamriel." He seemed to recognize her, then, because he looked startled. "You ... you are the Dragonborn? I'm sorry I took you for an applicant for my guard. What may I do for you, Lady Dragonborn?"

Yssha bowed. "I have a problem you may be able to help with, Master Calcelmo. I am in possession of the journal of a murdered man, and I seek to reveal the killer. But it is written in Falmer, and the man who recognized that language could not read it without a key he says you may have."

Calcelmo frowned. "I do have such a key, up near my office. But my research isn't complete, and I would rather not have it go public until I complete my work and have time to polish it for publication."

Yes, scholars were like that, and Yssha smiled. "I understand, Master Calcelmo. Then would you perhaps translate the journal for me? I would of course compensate you for your time, and your absence from your present work." Her last two dungeon runs should allow for that ...

Calcelmo smiled. "That you would make that offer, Lady Dragonborn, tells me much about you. I need time more than money, so promise me you'll destroy it after your translation is done, and I'll let you make a copy of the key."

"I so promise, in the holy names of Talos and Akatosh," Yssha said.

Calcelmo looked surprised. "Then follow me." He led her down to the Underkeep entrance, then up and through a museum that had Marcurio practically drooling, and a laboratory, across a balcony and up more stairs to an office. "Take some paper and charcoal," Calcelmo said. "You'll have to make a rubbing; what I have is inscribed on stone, so it won't be lost again."

Yssha did so, impressed at the size of the stone. It took several sheets of paper before she had it all copied. When she was done, she rolled them up carefully and put them in her pack, then turned to Calcelmo. "I thank you, Master Calcelmo. This should let me confirm the murderer's identity, and if the gods are kind, bring him to justice."

"May it be so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work."

They followed him out of the office and back down the stairs to the balcony, but as soon as he went into the laboratory, she teleported herself and Marcurio back to their Winterhold target. She didn't see Enthir when they entered the inn, so she asked the innkeeper, and was directed to the basement, where they found both Enthir and Karliah. She handed the key to Enthir, and he immediately began translating Gallus' journal.

It wasn't long before he said, "Hmm. This is intriguing, but highly disturbing. It appears that Gallus had suspicions about Mercer Frey's allegiance to the Guild for months. Gallus had begun to uncover what he calls an "... unduly lavish lifestyle replete with spending vast amounts of gold on personal pleasures.""

"Does the journal say where this wealth came from?" Karliah asked.

"Yes. Gallus seems certain that Mercer had been removing funds from the Guild's treasury without anyone's knowledge."

"Anything else, Enthir?" Karliah asked. "Anything about ... the Nightingales?"

"Hmm. Yes, here it is. The last few pages seem to describe 'the failure of the Nightingales,' although it doesn't go into great detail. Gallus also repeatedly mentions his strong belief that Mercer desecrated something known as the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Shadows preserve us," Karliah said in a hushed tone. "So it's true ..."

"I'm not familiar with the Twilight Sepulcher," Enthir said. "What is it? What's Mercer Frey done?"

Karliah shook her head. "I'm sorry, Enthir, I can't say. All that matters is that we deliver your translation to the Guild immediately. Farewell, Enthir ... words can't express ... "

"It's all right, Karliah. You don't have to say a word."

Then Karliah's attention turned to Yssha. "We must hasten to Riften before Mercer can do any more damage to the Guild."

Yssha hesitated. "I need more information first. Gallus's journal mentioned the 'Twilight Sepulcher.'"

Karliah sighed, but responded. "You've come this far, so I see no benefit in concealing it any longer. The Twilight Sepulcher is the temple to Nocturnal. It's what the Nightingales are sworn to protect with their lives."

That just made Yssha more curious. "Why does it require that type of protection?"

"Everything that represents Nocturnal's influence is contained within the walls of the Sepulcher. Now it seems Mercer's broken his oath with Nocturnal and defiled the very thing he swore to protect."

Now it was getting ... not exactly confusing, but definitely peculiar. "Thieves and temples. The two do not seem to mesh."

"I felt the same way when Gallus first revealed these things to me. I think given time, you'll understand what I mean."

"I could understand better if less mystery was involved."

Karliah shook her head. "As a Nightingale, I've been sworn to secrecy regarding the Sepulcher. I know the Guild doesn't do much to foster faith, but I'm going to have to ask that you continue to trust me."

If that was how it had to be for the present, Yssha thought she could accept it. "Very well, we do it your way. For now."

"I'll make for Riften and scout the situation; see if I can discover what Mercer's up to. When you're ready, meet me at the Ragged Flagon. In the meantime, I wanted you to have this. It belonged to Gallus, but given the circumstances I think he'd approve." Karliah handed Yssha a sword.

"I will put it to good use." Yssha really preferred her mace, but she accepted the sword.

"If the Guild isn't willing to listen to reason, you might have to."

"Can you tell me about Gallus?" Yssha asked.

"He was a scholar, a master thief, and a natural leader. Everyone respected him and followed him without question. It was Gallus who inducted me into the Nightingales and honed my skills to a razor sharp point. I owe everything to him. We were ... very close."

"You were lovers?"

"Gallus once said he felt comfortable around me; able to let his guard down. I can't help but think that I'm responsible for what happened to him."

"Why did you not kill Mercer?"

"Mercer lied to the Guild, branded me a murderer and slandered my name across his network of contacts. For twenty-five years I ran, never sleeping in the same place twice and carefully covering my tracks. Mercer doesn't need to die ... he needs to feel the cold sting of fate as his life crumbles in front of him and he's hunted by the Guild."

"You might not have a choice next time."

"I can promise you if it comes to that, and my back's to the wall, I won't hesitate. I'll meet you at the Flagon."

With that, Karliah left, and Enthir approached. Not much to Yssha's surprise, he offered to fence things for her, and turned out to be a reliable source for the rare black soul gems and daedra hearts. He had other items as well, but he sold for more, and paid less, than other merchants, so she decided that, at least for the most part, she would restrict her commerce with him to the black gems and daedra hearts. After learning that he lived on the second floor of the Hall of Attainment at the College, she took her leave, and she and Marcurio went to Riften.

* * *

**Author's Note: Don't expect many more updates on the weekend. I'm in a rural area with marginal wifi service, so what takes me maybe five minutes during the week can take over an hour on weekends, when there's more usage. So I've pretty much given up online on weekends until service improves, if it does.**


	35. Dovahjud

**Author's Note: I am still learning Dovahzul, unlike Yssha, and discovered I'd made a major mistake. This chapter gets a new title and minor change to correct that.**

When they appeared at their Riften teleport target, though, Marcurio grinned. "I know you want to get this over with, love, but we have a problem."

"Oh?"

"How long do you think it'll take Karliah to get to the Flagon?" he asked, amused.

"Oh!" Yssha felt the tips of her ears burning. Karliah couldn't teleport, so it would probably take her at least a day. "You are correct, beloved. We should probably give her until the day after tomorrow. Do you have any preference of what to do in the meantime?"

"Well, we could always see how Rayya's doing on the Lakeview construction. I know it hasn't been quite a month, like she said it would take, but she was making good progress last time we were there."

Yssha thought briefly. "She promised to send a courier to Dragonsreach, but we have not been there in at least a day, and I do not wish it to seem that I am nagging her."

"Make that three days, love. Karliah's paralysis potion was strong enough to keep a man like Mercer out for a full day. You're enough smaller you were out for more than a day and a half."

"I did not realize. Dragonsreach then, and possibly that archeology expedition tomorrow?"

"Sounds good to me. At least archeology sounds like it shouldn't - and I stress shouldn't, the way our luck runs - be dangerous."

Yssha chuckle-purred at that, and took them to Whiterun. Irileth met them as soon as they entered Dragonsreach, handing Yssha a note. "This came by courier yesterday, Dragonborn. The man who delivered it said it's from your Falkreath housecarl."

Yssha took and read it, purring happily. "Rayya says that Jarl Siddgeir learned I plan to make Lakeview Manor my primary home, so he hired extra workmen, and called in favors from several mages. The main hall is livable, though sparsely furnished, and construction has begun on the wings. This is wonderful news, and I shall have to thank the Jarl next time I see him."

Jarl Balgruuf joined them. "Then you'll be moving out?"

"Yes, my Jarl, but that will not mean you have seen the last of me. I have many friends here, and Whiterun has resources Falkreath lacks."

"You'll always be welcome here, you know. And your apartment will always be ready for you."

"Thank you, my Jarl. Ah, has the Moot been called yet?"

"No. We're still trying to set up a time when all nine of us will be free. We'll be lucky if it happens before the end of the year." He studied her for a moment. "I think I'll ask the others to let you attend. Gods know you have as much interest in Skyrim's future as any of us. And as Dragonborn, you're at least as noble as we are."

"If I am invited to attend, I certainly will," Yssha agreed. "For now, though, I would like to go pack, and take our things to Lakeview Manor."

"Certainly." Balgruuf smiled, and the two hurried up to their apartment. They packed quickly, then carried their things to their Whiterun target, and 'ported to the Manor. They found Rayya at the carpenter's bench, but apparently the workers had finished for the day.

Rayya smiled when she looked up and saw them. "Good, you got my note. Welcome home, my Thane."

"It is good to be home," Yssha replied. "We brought our things, since you said it was livable, but ... how much furniture is there?"

"At the moment, three beds, a couple of wardrobes and chests, and a dining table with chairs. As I wrote, skimpy but livable."

"That is wonderful," Yssha said with sincerity. The three went inside, Yssha and Marcurio going upstairs and putting their packs on the double bed. That done, they went back down and found cases of wine, mead, and ale on the kitchen floor, some food supplies in and on a barrel, and another box, this one holding dinnerware. Rayya was cooking venison stew at the fireplace, so Yssha grabbed a bottle of wine and three glasses, taking them to the table. "Join us, please, when you can," Yssha called to Rayya as she poured wine for each of them.

When Rayya joined them with a comment that the stew could stand to simmer a bit longer, Yssha offered a toast. "To our new home!"

The three drank, and Marcurio offered another one. "To the housecarl who is responsible for it!"

Rayya blushed, Yssha thought - at least the Redguard's skin seemed to get a bit darker, though it was hard to tell - but didn't join in this one. They chatted about nothing much while they finished the wine, then Yssha stood. "I need to call a dragon who has sworn fealty to me," she told her housecarl. "If dragons disturb you, feel free to remain inside."

Rayya shook her head. "If you're going to be bringing them here, I suppose I'd better get used to them."

"It is your choice, but I think a good idea," Yssha said as they all went outside. "Be prepared; he is quite large." When Rayya nodded, she Shouted, "Od Ah Viing!"

Moments later, she heard wingbeats and looked up, surprised to see two dragons rather than one. They landed easily, but two dragons, the other a Legendary, crowded the small clearing. "What do you wish, thuri?" Odahviing asked.

"I need to understand what is entailed in being your thur, but I had not expected you to bring a companion. Perhaps that should wait."

Odahviing snorted, startling Rayya. "That is how winged dov laugh," he half-apologized. "But he wished to meet you. I introduce Dovgrahaak - in the common speech, Dragon Battle Guide. He was one of Alduin's senior officers, serving directly under me. He represents a small but growing group of dovah who wish to join me in acknowledging you as thuru, so it is proper that I explain in front of him."

He paused, thinking. "It translates into Common as 'overlord', as you know. Perhaps the best mortal analogy would be the founder of your Empire, who earned the right to rule by his military might. We who acknowledge you as thur are saying that you also rule by right of conquest - in your case, of Alduin, the strongest of us during his life - and by the strength of your Thu'um, which is able to knock any dragon from the air."

"I believe I understand now." Yssha turned to Dovgrahaak. "Do you concur in that description?"

"I do, Dovahkiin. There are many of us who do not wish to give up combat, and so cannot follow Paarthurnax's way. Alduin's other primary lieutenant here beside me has already taken you as thuru, declaring this land yours. So we wish to know if there is any way we can fight without violating the territory of one who can completely destroy us."

Yssha caught her breath, stunned. This was an opportunity she hadn't dared to believe would come so early, or be offered so easily!

"I believe so," she said slowly. "Though it could entail things dovahhe would not easily tolerate."

Dovgrahaak settled fully to the ground, looking rather like a basking cat. "Tell us about it, Odahviing's thur. You might be surprised."

Yssha was uncertain about that, but nodded. "Very well. You know this country just ended an internal war, correct?"

"Correct. And then you defeated Alduin. What does that have to do with us?" Dovgrahaak's voice was curious, not challenging.

"That was a small war, compared to what is coming. There is a realm called the Aldmeri Dominion, based in the Summerset Isles, which is preparing to challenge the Tamrielic Empire, which I am sworn to serve. If you wish to join me in that service, you will have much to fight. But it will have to be in partnership with the joor races."

Dovgrahaak looked at Odahviing. "Did you know this would be a condition?"

"I suspected, but I did not know." He shrugged. "I flew those two to Skuldafn before I took her as thuri. It was not an unpleasant experience. And we must face the fact that we have only three choices: become pacifists under Paarthurnax, fight along with mortals under Dovahkiin's rule, or remain un-allied with either and risk facing her in battle to ultimate death."

Dovgrahaak turned his attention fully back to Yssha. "He is correct; our choices are limited. I represent a group who served me during the Dragon War, and they have allowed me to decide for them. We take you as thuru, and will serve you faithfully, even though you serve still another. Bormahu favors you; we can do no other."

"How many is that?"

Dovgrahaak gaped a grin. "Only a few so far, as mortals count, perhaps fifty. But that is enough for you to truly call yourself Dovahjud, if you wish, since Odahviing and myself are among that number. There will be more, probably many more, as the undecided realize their limited choices. Those who listen to Paarthurnax are mostly moving back to Akavir, our spawning grounds, though he himself and a few others will stay at the Throat of the World. Those of us who wish you as thur will find places throughout Tamriel, as will most of those who wish no leader, but to follow their instincts. The last, I fear, will remain your enemies."

Her plans had gotten changed by unexpected circumstances again, Yssha realized. "Then I must speak to the Jarls and have them forbid the hunting of any dragons who do not attack humans, mer, or their property."

"That would be well," Odahviing said. "When we find or convince a dovah to serve you, he will call your name. Reply with Dov Aav Het, Dragon Join Here, and he will find you. But be prepared when he arrives. Dov can be treacherous, and some of the ... i suppose masterless is as good a term as any ... may attempt to deceive you to get close without you using Dragonrend."

"We will be careful," Yssha assured him.

"Do you have anything else, thuru?" Dovgrahaak asked.

"Not right now," Yssha replied. "I must think how best to proceed, and speak to the Jarls tomorrow."

"Then we leave," Odahviing said, and both dragons took wing.

Back inside her new home, Yssha poured herself another glass of wine and took a deep swallow. The other two followed suit, and Rayya turned to her thane. "If I'm not mistaken, I just witnessed a coronation ceremony. I don't know what Dovahjud means, of course, but if that _wasn't_ a coronation ceremony, I have no idea what it was."

In essence, that was what it had been, so Yssha didn't argue. "It means Dragon Queen, as Bronjun means Nord king, or Jarl. Does that upset you?"

Rayya laughed. "Not at all, though it does motivate me to complete your ... palace, I suppose it is now. Do I need to add a throne room?"

Yssha restrained a yowl of frustration. "No. This is my home, not a palace. I want a garden and an animal pen, not a throne room." She paused. "But I suppose it might not be a bad idea to make a larger clearing, and perhaps some decorative plantings, if I am to have dragon visitors."

"I apologize, my Thane. I didn't intend to offend you." Rayya looked abashed.

"I am not offended," Yssha hastened to say. "What else could you think? But I expect few petitioners; dragons tend to take care of their problems by themselves, such as protecting their hunting grounds."

Rayya smiled. "Very well, my Thane. But if you are going to be traveling again, is there anything special I should get before you return?"

"Some small ale, or if you are feeling ambitious, you could ask after Cyrodiilic tisane. I am no Nord, with an infinite capacity for alcohol."

"You like tisane?" Rayya asked. "There are several ingredients here that can be brewed into that, and a few are quite tasty. I'll visit the apothecary in Falkreath tomorrow and see if she has any of the better ones."

"Oh, would you please?" Yssha felt almost pathetically grateful. "I have missed tisane so much! A bit spicy is my preference, but even the blandest would be better than alcohol all the time."

"I can arrange that," Rayya said with a smile.


	36. Spreading the News

Yssha had intended to spend today exploring Saarthal, but instead she had to visit the Jarls, and remembering a promise, she decided to start with the presumptive High Queen. So, instead of her armor, which she persuaded Marcurio to carry, she wore the garments Taarie had given her at the Radiant Raiment.

From the reactions of passers-by between the Solitude gates and the entrance of the Blue Palace, she was sure the Radiant Raiment clothes, even though not custom made, enhanced her looks, so she was practically preening when she entered the Throne Room and approached Elisif. She didn't even have to say anything about the clothing; Elisif asked her first. "Dragonborn, is that you? You look so different, out of armor."

Yssha smoothed her skirts. "I do like to get out of it when circumstances allow, my Jarl. Unfortunately, my opportunities are few."

"You should do it as often as you can. Where did you get that beautiful dress?"

"Here in Solitude, my Jarl. At the Radiant Raiment, across from the Winking Skeever."

"Well, if you get back there any time soon, please tell them I will be wanting some dresses myself, and if yours is a good example of their work, they will have my patronage."

"I will be happy to do so, my Jarl. But that is why not I came here."

"Why, then?" Elisif asked, obviously curious.

"To ask that you forbid hunting or harming any dragons that are not actually preying on your people or their property. A number of them have sworn fealty to me, and I am assured others will do so as well. Those are no threat to your people, and I wish the reverse to be true as well."

"As long as my people are able to defend themselves, yes, I'll give that order." She turned to her Steward. "See to it, Falk."

"Yes, my Jarl."

"I assume you'll be asking the same of the other Jarls - ?"

"Of course," Yssha said. "It would do my lieges little good if they were safe in only one hold. And I am sure they will be needed in the upcoming war with the Thalmor."

"You don't think that can be avoided? We just finished a war."

"Only briefly, I am afraid, when the enemy is as determined to overrun us as the Thalmor are." Yssha paused. "But that is a subject for another time. I must continue my journey and speak to the other Jarls, if I may be excused."

"Of course. Safe journeys, Dragonborn."

"Thank you, my Jarl." Yssha bowed, and they left. On the way out of the city, they stopped by the Radiant Raiment to report the Jarl's reaction to Taarie, who was delighted enough to give them a thousand septims as thanks. Then Yssha asked to borrow the fitting room to change back into her armor. "This dress is lovely, but armor is more suitable for traveling."

Taarie chuckled at that. "True, especially for one who's fighting on a regular basis. But while you're attractive even in armor, you're beautiful in ... more colorful wear." She paused for a moment, studying Yssha. "You know, I think ... when you're finished, come to the counter, please."

Yssha got changed, then did as Taarie had asked, going to the counter to find several bolts of brightly-colored cloth. Taarie began holding them up to Yssha's chest and studying the effect.

"What do you have in mind?" Yssha asked curiously.

"Adding some color to your everyday wardrobe," was the reply. "Do you have a favorite color?"

Yssha hadn't really thought about that, at least not in a long time. "Not really," she said at last. "Just not blue, as that was the Stormcloak color."

"Hmm ... too bad. But red looks almost as good on you. Yes, that'll work. And the emblem should be something dragon-related ... do you have anything against the Empire's stylized dragon?"

"Not at all - I am a Legionnaire, after all. But I still do not know what you have in mind."

"I'd rather show you than tell. Give me ... say two days, then come in next time you're in the city." Taarie grinned, clearly not intending to say any more.

"Very well." Yssha shrugged. Taarie's enthusiasm for her craft, and her skill, were undeniable, but she could be stubborn. "I shall trust you, and see you in two days or so."

They left the shop, then continued outside the city to their teleport target.

Siddgeir was next, because she wanted to thank him for the additional help in getting Lakeview into livable condition so rapidly, as well as get him to order a stop to the dragon-hunting. He agreed, but didn't really seem to care very much.

Things went equally smoothly as she visited other hold capitals. Even Maven Black-Briar in Riften agreed to forbid the hunting or killing of non-hostile-acting dragons without an argument. It wasn't until after she'd spoken to Jarl Brunwulf, her next-to-last stop, that she decided to visit the Temple of Talos. It was the only one remaining in Skyrim, though there were a number of shrines like the one in Whiterun, and she found herself grateful to Ulfric Stormcloak for preventing its destruction.

As soon as she approached the huge statue at the front of the Temple, she heard the voice she'd first heard halfway to Dawnstar. _It is time to reveal your mission, and that it is My Will, to My worshippers, since those you most wish to recruit will not cooperate otherwise._ The voice's next words sounded amused. _And it is time, though it will probably do no good, for the Thalmor to feel My power this once._ Then the voice became audible, though not loud, and the statue began to give off a soft glow.

"You are Ysmir, child of My spirit and bearer of the Stormcrown. I grant you My blessing for all of your days. Gather your allies and defeat the Empire's enemies, that it may regain the glory it had when I founded it. I charge you to see that Empire and Stormcrown support each other, in their separate ways."

Yssha bowed, deeply and formally, toward the statue as its glow faded. "I will do as you command, Lord Talos. I thank you for your blessing."

_But you do not understand the Stormcrown, do you? Its meaning has been lost over the ages. It was Alduin's for centuries, until he began acting against Akatosh's other worshippers. When that happened, and he refused to either stop or give up his power, he became unworthy of it. But Akatosh's love for His firstborn was such that He could not kill him, despite his transgressions. So when He foresaw Alduin's return to Nirn, you were born with a dragon soul and the dragon blood. Do you understand now?_

Yssha thought back to her meeting with Odahviing and Dovgrahaak, when Dovgrahaak had said she could claim the title of Dovahjud. "I believe so, my Lord."

_And you are correct. It is well. I leave you to your mission, then._

Yssha stayed for a few more minutes, meditating and praying that she not fall into Alduin's failures, then left the temple, to find a crowd outside. Most of them backed away from her, but a man in partial, battered Stormcloak armor approached hesitantly. "Y ... Ysmir?"

"That is me, yes. What may I do for you?"

"It's the other way around," the man said, with a bit more assurance. "_He_ said to gather your allies. Even if it means supporting the Empire now, it started out as His, so I want to be part of that effort."

"I do not suppose you would consider joining the Legion, in return for amnesty?"

The man shook his head. "A lot of us can't quite trust the Legion or Empire yet, and maybe never. It's you Talos spoke to, so it's you we can trust."

Well, she had told Odahviing and Dovgrahaak it would be necessary for them to fight in partnership with the joor races. "I need to found a new order of dragonfighters, and possibly bodyguards, loyal primarily to me." At least at first. "It will involve working with dragons who are sworn to my service as well. Would that be acceptable?"

"And in return?" The man looked intrigued and hopeful.

"I will try to obtain a pardon for any crimes committed as a Stormcloak, plus pay and equipment equivalent to a Legionnaire. My imperial rank is Legate, so I do not have the authority to do that on my own, but I will speak to General Tullius, who does. I do not have a place for you to stay, though."

The man chuckled. "That's good enough for now. I'm your man, then, Ysmir. Franken Hard-Head, at your service. I pledge to you, as to Talos himself, my loyalty and life."

"And to you, Franken Hard-Head, my loyalty and what protection I can give. Be welcome to the Skyguard." At least she'd thought of a name ...

She paused. "You do realize that my protection at the moment is mostly intention, rather than something actually useful, since I myself am on the Thalmor kill-on-sight list. But I mean what I said."

"Understood, Ysmir." He gave her a wolfish grin. "Does that mean Thalmor are fair game?"

Yssha shook her head. "Not quite yet. That is a decision only the Emperor himself can make. You are free to defend me, yourself, and any others they threaten, but for now, it must at least be plausible defense. You understand. And find a red surcoat, if you can - a scarf or armband, otherwise. Red will be the color of Skyguard uniforms, in honor of the dragon who first acknowledged me as his overlord." And it was the color of whatever Taarie was making her, as well ...

"Of course, sir." Franken smiled happily. "I'll inform my friends of my good fortune, in hopes that you'll welcome them as well."

"As many as I can," Yssha said. "But I cannot afford to support too large a group on my personal resources, however many bandits I find and kill."

"We shall see, Ysmir, we shall see. By your leave?"

"You have leave." Yssha turned to Marcurio as Franken left, smiling. "You know, he sounded more like an officer than an ordinary soldier."

"He did indeed," Marcurio agreed. "I hope so, because if he's typical, recruiting in Skyrim may be easier than either of us thought before that ... announcement."

"Yes ... a Stormcloak officer coming to my side is a good omen. But we have one more Jarl to visit. Let us find a private spot, and go to Whiterun."

That proved more difficult than usual, since the announcement by Talos had raised her noticeability level another notch. They ended up having to rent a room at the inn, and teleport from there. Fortunately Whiterun was used to having them around, so they didn't get much more attention than usual on the way up to Dragonsreach.

Jarl Balgruuf welcomed her as he usually did, smiling. "Welcome, Dragonborn. Or should I call you Ysmir now?"

Yssha cursed to herself. "The choice is yours, my Jarl. It seems I am collecting as many titles as Greats-Grandmother did, and will answer to any of them."

He cocked his head. "But do you have a preference, my young friend?"

Yssha considered that. "Other than my birth name, no. Whatever you think most appropriate, my Jarl."

He looked thoughtful, then nodded. "Since both the Greybeards and Talos Himself named you Ysmir, I think that one is best. What can I do for you?"

"Do not hunt or kill dragons unless they are ones who attack your people or their property," she said, for the ninth time. "The ones who do not are sworn to me, and I would be as unhappy at their injury or death as you would be if they harmed your people."

Balgruuf chuckled, then looked thoughtful. "You have dragons sworn to you?"

"I do, my Jarl. Not many, but I do. The one I called to the Grand Porch, and approximately fifty others. Those have named me dovahjud, Dragon Queen. Talos called it Stormcrown."

"Then you are a Jarl in full, despite not having a Hold, and can attend the Moot by right. And Talos' announcement makes it important that it be held soon. We shall have to make fewer allowances for other obligations."

"You could say I do have a hold, of sorts," Yssha said slowly. "Dov are creatures of the sky, and I am one, despite my lack of wings. So in a way, the sky could be considered my Hold. I also have a former Stormcloak sworn to me, the first non-dov member of what will become, in time, the Skyguard."

Balgruuf looked quizzical. "Another military force?"

"Since the former Stormcloaks are not yet willing to swear to the Empire and join the Legion, yes, although I plan to integrate it later, once they overcome that reluctance. In the meantime, it will serve as my Hold Guard."

"That's an ... interesting concept," Balgruuf said. "But in several ways, I can see advantages to accepting your arguments. Airborne scouts, for instance, or a dragon attack on enemy positions and forces. You need to talk to General Tullius about this. Now, how do we identify these Skyguards of yours?"

"The non-dov will wear red - surcoats, as those can be made. Scarves or armbands, until then. The dovahhe will simply not be hostile, since they do not wear clothing."

"I'll include that when I send couriers urging a Moot very soon."

"Thank you, my Jarl. I was not looking forward to another tour of all the holds, even if I were to do it on dragonback."

Balgruuf looked suddenly thoughtful. "You know, that might not be a bad idea. It would certainly help the people get used to the idea of peaceful dragons."

"He has a point, love," Marcurio said. "I'm nowhere near as fond of flying as you are, but I'm sure I'll get over the airsickness eventually."

"Airsickness?" Irileth asked.

"Like seasickness, but from the way a dragon flies," Marcurio explained. "It isn't exactly smooth, and on the flight to Skuldafn, it was a struggle for me not to vomit." He chuckled. "She, of course, had absolutely no trouble."

And flying, Yssha thought, would give her a plausible way to get places quickly, though not as quickly as teleporting. She'd still 'port, of course, when it was necessary, but yes, flying most places was a good idea. "The only problem I can see with that is frightening livestock if we land too near them, but that should be avoidable. If you will excuse us, we should get back to Lakeview."

"On dragonback?"

"Not this time - my usual way, until I speak to Odahviing again and find out if he or another dovah is willing to carry me on a regular basis."

"I understand. We'll see you later, then."


	37. Newcomer

Author's Note: Nevan is from my independent Terran Empire series of novels and stories. He decided he wanted to play in Skyrim, and Brelyna's misadventures in "Brelyna's Practice" were the inspiration for how to get him here.

* * *

Chapter 37 - Newcomer

When they got to their usual target near Lakeview and moved closer to the building, they saw that construction workers were busy on the manor's wings, under the regard of a bronze Elder dragon. She was surprised that they seemed not to be uncomfortable working around him, and approached.

The dragon sat up when they approached him. "Drem yol lok, thuri Dovahkiin. I am Viinalunzin."

"Drem yol lok, Viinalunzin. Are you here for a special reason, or simply tinvaak?"

Tinvaak would be a pleasure, thuri, but Odahviing says our duties include guarding your home, in company with your housecarl. That is my primary reason for being here." He snorted a laugh. "Your workers were frightened of me at first, but calmed down when I spoke to Rayya and told her my mission."

"I am glad of both," Yssha told him. "There are dangers here that would be difficult for her, such as giants, but that a dragon should have no difficulty with."

Viinalunzin nodded. "Such was Odahviing's reasoning, thuri. And I am to give you a message from him. Since you lack wings, he will fly you wherever you wish to go. And he reserves that right to himself; the rest of us are restricted to lesser joorre."

"I thank you for that message, and him for the offer, which I accept gratefully. Those of you who have taken me as thur should be safe from most here, as all the Jarls - Bronjunne - have given orders that no dragon is to be attacked or harmed unless the dragon attacks first. But that may or may not apply to Altmer in black and gold robes and the soldiers with them. Those are Thalmor wizards and Justiciars, who are not technically subject to the Bronjunneu authority, and may see fit to ignore that prohibition."

"I will inform him, when my shift is over. This guard duty is not as boring as I feared. It is rather relaxing, in fact, watching those joorre build."

"We will leave you to it, then," Yssha said. "My ahmul and I have had a busy day. We need to eat and rest."

"Lok, Thu'um then, thuri. Another will replace me at daybreak."

"Lok, Thu'um, Viinalunzin."

Inside, the two changed from armor to house clothing, and Yssha went into the kitchen, finding several packets of herbs on the hearth. Good, those must be the tisane ingedients Reyya had mentioned buying - she could have her hot tisane in the morning! For now, though, she could use a glass of wine to help her relax. "What do you want to drink, beloved?" she called.

"Mead, please."

She grabbed the bottles and two glasses, then joined Marcurio at the dining table and cut each of them a piece of the Eidar cheese there. Sipping the wine and nibbling the cheese, she thought about what she should do the next day - unless something else unexpected turned up. It would be nice if she didn't have so many things she had to do, but they were her responsibilities, so she would simply have to do her best. Maybe it would help if she sounded it out to Marcurio, and got his help.

"Something bothering you, love?" he asked.

"Not bothering, so much as setting priorities, and I would like your help."

"Naturally," he said with a grin. "You can't do much with the Skyguard until you have more non-dov members, and Franken is handling that recruiting. The dov will probably trickle in on their own schedule, so nothing you can do about that, and talking to Tullius can wait until you have some idea of what kind of force you'll have to offer. Taarie wants two days for her surprise, so that's on hold as well. The Saarthal expedition, according to Tolfdir, you can get to just about any time. It looks to me like the most urgent is meeting up with Karliah, and she should be in Riften by now."

"I said help, but you have done it for me instead. Thank you, beloved." She leaned over and gave him an affectionate lick on the cheek. "So we are free until morning."

* * *

Shortly after breakfast, they went out and she called Odahviing. He was landing less than a minute later. "Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin. Where would you like to go?"

"Drem yol lok, Odahviing. "Riften, please, but I would rather not hurry. I relish our time in the air, and you are a very fast flier."

"Yes, I am. Not the fastest, but I can get you anywhere in Keizaal within minutes, and anywhere in Taazokaan in less than half an hour."

"That far?" Yssha was surprised, but happy. "In that case, perhaps we may visit my family when I have less to do!"

"I would be pleased to take you, thuri. Just tell me when you are ready and where you wish to go. But for now, a leisurely flight around Skyrim. Get on, and we will leave."

He extended a wing, and they climbed onto his neck. Then he sprang into the air, and more slowly than he'd flown to Skuldafn, took them over Falkreath, north past Markarth, along the mountains and coast, east past Solitude and Dawnstar, until Yssha saw a red flag flying over the College of Winterhold. "Could you land at the College, please?" she yelled into the wind.

Odahviing didn't answer verbally, just descended into the main courtyard to let them off. "I will be on one of the towers while you are inside," he said, taking off.

Yssha and Marcurio went into the Hall of Elements, and found the Archmage waiting. "Is there a problem?" she asked.

Savos Aren nodded. "At least in a sense. Tolfdir decided to wait for the Saarthal expedition until you could be here for the whole experience, and Brelyna Maryon had an ... accident in one of her Conjuration classes. She was trying to summon a Flame Atronach, but got something very different." He sighed. "She is powerful, but her control ... let's just say it leaves much to be desired. I thought you should be notified, Dragonborn, so I tried to attract one of your dragons to take you the news. I didn't expect you to show up yourself."

"I saw no damage on the way in, so how bad is it?"

"There's no damage, no, but it seems she ... er, inadvertently kidnapped a young man from some place he calls the Terran Empire. And that is easy to believe, because he is of a race never seen in Tamriel, and Urag says never on Nirn."

"And you cannot return him, am I correct?"

"When we know nothing of his home? No, we cannot. Which is a shame, because he is a very pleasant young man, and quite upset."

"I cannot blame him for that. So you wish me to meet him, and decide what to do with him."

"If you would, Dragonborn. He's a very private person, so Urag offered an unused workroom in the Arcaneum, since it has a door. He hasn't complained, except about not being able to go home. Come, I'll take you to him."

Yssha and Marcurio followed him, arriving at a closed door, and Savos knocked. "Nevan? It's the Archmage and two friends."

"Come in," a tenor voice invited.

When they entered, Yssha saw a young man like none she had ever seen before. He was about the size of a Khajiit, with deep bronze skin almost like an Elder dragon's but darker, and Nord-pale hair. He bowed politely, with near-Khajiit grace. "I am Nevan darLeras, a warrior of Clan Leras and a Field Agent in the Security Division of the Imperial Terran Marine Corps. My rank is Major. I would give you my ID number, but it would mean nothing to you. May I know who you are?

Yssha returned the bow, already liking this young man. "I am Yssha, of Clan and Family Ysshaya, called the Dragonborn and Dovahjud. I am also a Legate in the Imperial Legion, and Thane of the Nine Holds." Plus other titles, but that could wait. "This is Marcurio, my husband. He is a battlemage, and also a Thane of the Nine Holds. We all regret the accident that brought you here, away from your world and home.

"So the Archmage has told me, repeatedly, and even Brelyna Maryon apologized. I believe you." The young man sighed. "He's also told me there's no way he can send me home from this ... realm that seems to me like a video game, so I have to adapt. I suppose that's why he brought you in."

Yssha had no idea what a video game was, but nodded. "What does a 'Field Agent of the Security Division' do?"

The young man gave her an odd glance, then shrugged. "I guess it's no secret, here. Basically, whatever has to be done to protect the Empire. I've spied, stolen, done assassinations, pretty much anything like that when under cover. Openly, I'm a proper Imperial officer, conducting security investigations and protecting my ... Empress. You look a lot like her, except for the dark points."

Now _that_ was interesting, Yssha thought, especially the hesitation, but for now ... "Your Empire also has various races?"

"Yes, and the Irschchans look a lot like you ... Khajiit, is it? We don't have anything like the Orcs or Argonians, but you don't seem to have anything like our Araneids or Traiti, either. And we don't have dragons. Not that I've seen any of those."

"You may, soon. I offer you a place in my household, since there is no way to send you home. Ah, do you know any magic?"

"No, but the Archmage says I have the ability. Why?"

"Because Marcurio and I are often in situations where we must use Healing on ourselves. If you cannot learn to Heal yourself, we cannot take you along on many missions, though you will still be welcome in my household." Yssha turned to Savos. "Could you perhaps find a Healing spell tome and bring it? I must find out if this warrior can learn what he needs."

"As you wish, Dragonborn. I'll be back shortly." Savos left, and Yssha turned back to the newcomer. "If it is not too rude, may I ask your race? You resemble parts of several here, but none are close to your combination."

He looked surprised. "I didn't say? I'm Sandeman, a race deliberately created by the standard-human Shapers, who tried to control us until the Overthrow. Another branch of Shapers created the Naj, snake-folk, but those Shapers treated their creations better, and the Naj love them almost as gods."

"We have no snake-folk, which I am happy for," Yssha said "Ah, if you choose to serve with me, what kind of armor and weapons do you prefer?"

"Kinds I'm pretty sure you don't have," the Sandeman replied. "I doubt you have force-field armor or lightsabers or blasters, so I suppose the best light armor and sword available. I can make do with practically anything, though."

"Then we shall speak to the smiths I know, though you may have the same problem I do of finding armor small enough. Here in Skyrim, most armor is crafted for large Nords, and you are only a little larger than I am. Which means a glass cuirass I have at home may fit you."

"That would be nice but ... what I need at the moment is combat or lovemaking." He grimaced. "Our Shapers were afraid of the warriors they created, so they engineered a control into us - a need cycle that means we have to have a major adrenaline rush like combat or sex every few days, or die a very unpleasant death. My cycle is five days, and this is midway through the fourth. So I'm getting pretty jittery. Uh, would your husband be up for a bit of hand-to-hand?"

Marcurio chuckled. "If necessary, but she's better at hand-to-hand than I am; I prefer ranged spells or this battleaxe on my back. She likes to get up close and personal."

The Archmage returned then, and handed the newcomer a book. "This is a spell tome. You need only read it to learn the Healing spell, then it will vanish."

"That sounds like a teaching tape, then, except those are reusable." He read it, then blinked a couple of times and nodded. "Got it. But that won't do anything about my need cycle." He turned to Yssha and bowed again. "Lady Yssha, I ask the life-combat of you, and soon."

"Immediately, then. Out in the courtyard." She led the way, and called up to Odahviing. "Do not interfere, please. This fight is non-hostile."

"Very well, thuri," he replied.

Yssha handed Marcurio her mace and started to remove her armor, but Nevan said, "Leave that on. This late in my cycle it's almost like battle-prep, so you'll need it. I'll step back and raise my hands when my need subsides. Go for it."

Need armor for hand-to-hand? That seemed unlikely, but she complied. And she'd try not to use her claws. He was waiting, so she launched an attack.

And found her hands full. The Sandeman was both far stronger and far faster than he looked, and more resilient than any other she'd brawled with. She found out quickly that he was right; she did need her armor as they fought their way around the courtyard. He was tricky, too, using grips and throws she was totally unfamiliar with, but she got a couple in that he didn't know, as well. There were a couple of times she had to cast Healing on herself, too, before he broke off the fight, stepping back and raising his hands.

Both of them were bruised and bleeding, but his eyes were bright and he was smiling as he bowed. "I thank you for the life-combat, Lady Yssha. You are a worthy opponent."

She returned the bow. "As are you, warrior. I think I would have done better against a sabercat." She purred briefly, trying to catch her breath. "Now try that Healing spell you just learned."

He nodded, and the glow of Restoration magic, stronger than her own, bathed his injuries as he healed himself. She did the same, sighing in relief as her own injuries faded.

Nevan grinned when he was done. "Nice! That's even faster and better than rapid-heal. Now what?"

"You said you have never seen a dragon." Yssha gestured upward. "I introduce you to Odahviing, a friend of mine, who is kind enough to fly us around."

Odahviing inclined his head as Nevan bowed and introduced himself. "You fight well. It is a good thing my thur told me not to interfere, or I probably would have killed you the first time you injured her."

"Thur?" Nevan looked curious. "What's that?"

"It means 'overlord'," Odahviing replied. "I swore fealty to her after she defeated the World-Eater in Sovngarde."

"I don't what those are, but we have a similar word, 'thakur', with a similar meaning, 'chosen lord'. I had one in my home universe, but it seems I'll never see her again." He sounded bereft at that, Yssha thought sympathetically. "It was a great honor when she accepted me as thakur-na, her other self."

"Hmm." Odahviing sounded much like Paarthurnax at that moment, Yssha thought. "You could do worse than to swear to Dovahkiin, though it may be too soon after your loss for that."

The Sandeman nodded. "It is, yes, but she's taken me into her household, so maybe later."

"Perhaps. Now, thuri, shall we continue to Riften? If so, it would be easier to take off from here rather than down there."

"Can you carry three?" Yssha asked. "I do not wish to overburden you."

"Three are not a problem, though if your team continues to grow, it may take two of us to transport everyone."

"All right. We will be up shortly."

On the way up to the top of the Hall of the Elements, Nevan said, "I warn you, Lady Yssha, that I'm going to have a lot of questions. Archmage Aren was as helpful as he could be, but I don't have the background to understand most of what he told me."

Yssha purred briefly. "That is understandable, and both of us will help. In turn, we will undoubtedly have questions about your universe."

"Fair enough." They stepped onto the roof, and Nevan's breath caught. "Gods, he's huge! How can he possibly fly?"

"The same way I speak," Odanviing replied. "By magic. We dov are magical by nature, thanks to our father Akatosh." He extended the upper part of his wing so they could mount. "Call to me if you feel too much discomfort, and I will land."

Nevan chuckled. "My clan trains pilots. Aerobatics don't faze me, so straight flight won't be a problem."

"Good. We go, then." And Odahviing launched himself and his passengers into the sky.

* * *

A/N: Elfendrago: I try to have at least 2,000 words per chapter, and usually more, but that's primarily determined by what's happening in the story. Some distinct happenings take more, some take substantially less, but when the second happens, I try to post a follow-up chapter soon after. I've done some independent fiction, yes, but space opera isn't too popular these days, so you only get Nevan. :  
)


	38. The Pursuit

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Chapter 38 - The Pursuit

Yssha got Odahviing to land near the eastern end of Lake Honrich. The three dismounted and went into the city, Nevan looking around curiously. "Is this a typical Skyrim town?"

"There's no such thing," Marcurio said. "They're all so different, that just isn't possible. They all have the basic services, like blacksmith, apothecary, and general store, and the Hold capitals have the Jarl's residences, but other than that, they're pretty dissimilar."

"And our first stop will be at the blacksmith," Yssha said. "Balimund probably will not have armor to fit, but you need a weapon. Definitely a dagger - you will need that for eating, as well - and I believe you said a sword?"

"Since you don't have energy weapons, yes. And a bow, if your generosity extends that far."

Yssha purred. "You are part of my team now, if you need combat so badly, so it certainly does. And we do have energy weapons of a sort, but they are in the form of spells and, for dragons - dov or dovah - Shouts. You will undoubtedly see those in action soon enough. Skyrim is a place with many dangers, so fighting is commonplace, especially outside the towns. And trouble seems to find me more often than I sometimes like."

They were at the blacksmith's now, and she asked to see his swords and daggers. He laid them out on the workbench, and she told Nevan, "Pick the one that suits you best. The ones with a faint glow are enchanted, if those are in our price range."

"Easily," Marcurio said with a grin. "Now that we have our dragon gear, and plenty of houses, our main expense is getting those furnished. So don't worry about the cost, Nevan. This is only temporary anyway, until we can pick up enough dragon scales and bones for the kind of gear we're wearing and using."

It was clear to both of them that Nevan was experienced with blades, just from the way he went about making his selection. He set aside a Daedric dagger and sword, then turned to Yssha. "These are enchanted, from what you told me, but with what?"

"Fire, which is the most useful in general. Other enchantments are better for certain specialized purposes, like my sword Dragonbane, but if I could have only one weapon with one enchantment , it would be fire."

She smiled at the blacksmith. "A bow and arrows next, please, Balimund. Daedric as well, if you have one."

"I do, but it has Sparks, not Fire. And it's pretty strong."

"So is he," Yssha said, hiding a wince. "Much stronger than he appears to be."

"Give me a minute, then. I keep the bows inside to protect the strings." He left, returning less than a minute later with a Daedric bow. "Give this a try, just to make sure, okay?"

Nevan took it, checking it over carefully, especially the string. "What's this made of? I'm not familiar with this kind of string."

"Hemp, soaked in glue to help protect it from moisture," Balimund replied promptly. "I normally recommend having a spare or two, just in case."

"Since I don't know how much abuse hemp can take, and this is my only ranged weapon at the moment, I think I'll take five, if you have that many."

"Of course." Balimund added them to the stack. "Now would you try the bow, please?"

Nevan drew the bow, holding it back long enough to sight an imaginary arrow, then eased the string back down. "Nice," he said. "I've drawn heavier, but this has a good feel, and enough draw weight to shoot straight at a decent distance. A quiver and two dozen arrows will have me feeling like a proper warrior again."

With their new team member armed and Balimund paid, they went to the false mausoleum, but when Yssha pushed the entry button, it didn't move. "Locked," she reported. "We will have to go through the Ratway." She turned to Nevan. "I apologize for that, but the Guild has been having some rather serious problems, and it seems security has been tightened since my last visit. Normally, we can enter from here, which is faster and more pleasant than going through the Ratway."

"Thieves Guild, by any chance?"

Yssha nodded. "But how did you know?"

"An educated guess," was the reply. "A hidden entrance in a graveyard won't take you to the respectable guilds, after all. It would have to be something like thieves or assassins. Not that you act like either one."

"I am a member of the Guild, but my jobs for them are very limited, due to my other responsibilities and the fact that I am entirely too noticeable to be a good choice for many of the things the rest can do more unobtrusively." She purred. "And Marcurio and I destroyed the assassins guild six or seven weeks ago."

"On to the Ratway," Marcurio said, leading the way out of the cemetery, past the orphanage, down stairs, and to the Ratway entrance tunnel. "Be careful down here," he told Nevan. "It's mostly bandits or the insane who don't have any other place to live, but they can sometimes be dangerous."

"I've been in a number of such places in my line of work," Nevan reassured him. "I'll be careful."

This time the drawbridge was up, and Marcurio swore briefly before taking them the long way around. At least it seemed none of the Ratway's denizens cared to confront three fighters with weapons at the ready, because they made it to the Flagon without meeting anyone.

Inside, Karliah was waiting. "I'm glad you're here. I think some of these people are beginning to suspect who I am. Are you ready to face the Guild?" She looked curiously at Nevan, but apparently trusted Yssha enough not to ask any questions.

"I am ready. Let us go."

"Keep your eyes open. I'm not sure what to expect when we enter the Cistern."

When they opened the Cistern door, it was to a hostile reception: Brynjolf, Delvin, and Vex, weapons at the ready.

"You better have a damn good reason to be here with that murderer and a stranger," Brynjolf snarled.

Karliah tried to calm them. "Please, lower your weapons so we can speak. I have proof that you've all been misled!"

Brynjolf relaxed slightly, lowering his sword. "No tricks, Karliah, or I'll cut you down where you stand. Now what's this so-called proof you speak of?"

"I have Gallus's journal," Karliah told them. "I think you'll find its contents disturbing."

"Let me see." Brynjolf took the translation she handed him, and read it, protesting. "No, it ... can't be. This can't be true. I've known Mercer too long ..."

"It's true, Brynjolf," Karliah said. "Every word. Mercer's been stealing from the Guild for years, right under your noses."

"There's only one way to find out if what the lass says is true. Delvin, I'll need you to open the vault."

All four of them moved toward the vault, followed by Yssha and her team.

"Wait just a blessed moment, Bryn," Delvin said. "What's in that book? What did it say?"

"It says Mercer's been stealing from our vault for years. Gallus was looking into it before he was murdered."

"How can Mercer open up a vault that needs two keys?" Delvin protested. "It's impossible. Could he pick his way in?"

"That door has the best puzzle locks money can buy," Vex added. "There's no way it can be picked open."

"He didn't need to pick the lock," Karliah said.

"What is she on about?" Delvin asked the air.

"Use your key on the vault, Delvin," Brynjolf said. "We'll open it up and find out the truth."

Delvin did, and turned back to them when he was done. "I've used my key, but the vault's still locked up tighter than a drum. Now use yours."

Brynjolf did so, opening the door, then he cursed. "By the Eight! It's gone, everything's gone! Get in here, all of you!"

"The gold, the jewels ... it's all gone!" Delvin exclaimed.

"That son-of-a-bitch!" Vex swore, drawing her dagger. "I'll kill him!"

"Vex!" Brynjolf snapped. "Put it away ... right now. We can't afford to lose our heads ... we need to calm down and focus."

"Do what he says, Vex," Delvin advised. "This isn't helpin' right now."

Vex sheathed her dagger. "Fine. We do it your way. For now."

"Delvin, Vex ... watch the Flagon," Brynjolf ordered. "If you see Mercer, come tell me right away."

As the four were leaving, Yssha approached Karliah and asked, "How _could_ Mercer have gotten into that vault?"

"All I can tell you for now is that he's abused his authority as a Nightingale."

"What does that mean?"

"Sorry, not yet. I took an oath and was sworn to secrecy. Be patient and your time will come."

When Karliah left, Brynjolf called Yssha over. "All right, lass. Marcurio we know, an' he's okay, but who's this other one?"

"A new member of my team. He is Nevan darLeras, a warrior of Clan Leras, of a race called Sandemans in a Terran Empire in some other plane. He is the victim of a miscast Conjuration spell."

"An' you took him under the dragon wing you don't really have." Brynjolf chuckled. "Okay, but you're responsible for him not blowing our secrets."

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," Nevan said. "At least half the time, I have no idea what any of you were talking about. And my benefactor is a member of your Guild. I certainly wouldn't do anything to harm one who's only done me good."

That got a smile from the Guild-Second, now Acting Guildmaster, before his attention went back to Yssha. "Look, before I have you help track Mercer down I need to know what you learned from Karliah. I mean everything."

"Mercer killed Gallus, not Karliah. He also tried to kill me, but Karliah saved me."

"Aye. I feared that was the case. From that last entry in Gallus's diary, it looks like he was getting close to exposing Mercer to the Guild. Anything else?"

"Gallus, Karliah and Mercer were Nightingales."

"What? Nightingales? But, I always assumed they were just a tale ... a way to keep the young footpads in line. Was there anything else she told you?"

"Karliah was behind Goldenglow and Honningbrew."

"Trying to make Mercer look bad in front of Maven, eh? Clever lass. Was there anything else?"

Yssha shook her head. "No, that is everything."

"Then I have an important task for you. I need you to break into Mercer's home and search for anything that could tell us where he's gone."

"He has a house in Riften?"

"Aye. A gift from the Black-Briars after they kicked the previous family out ... place called Riftweald Manor. He never stays there, just pays for the upkeep on it. Hired some lout by the name of Vald to guard the place."

"I'll take care of it."

"Be careful, lass. This is the last place in Skyrim I'd ever want to send you. Just find a way in, get the information and leave. And you have permission to kill anyone that stands in your way."

"What's the best way to get into the place?"

"Good question. I've only set foot inside a few times myself and that was in Mercer's company. If you can get past his trained watchdog, I think your best bet might be the ramp to the second floor balcony in his backyard. "

"I suppose the ramp is not easy to access."

"No. It's some sort of crazy contraption Mercer commissioned for quick escapes. I'd wager a well-placed shot at the ramp's mechanism would lower it in a hurry."

"What is missing from the vault?"

"Better question would be 'what did he leave.' Mercer took everything. Even all of our plans are gone."

"Plans for what?"

"Before Mercer took over, Gallus started collecting every bit of material he could on locations the Guild could heist. Museums, keeps, estates ... you name it. By the time Mercer took over the Guild, we must have had a few dozen."

"All right. We are on our way. Is the mausoleum open again?"

Brynjolf scowled. "With essentially nothing left to protect, yes."

"All right." Yssha led her team up the stairs and out into the cemetery, then around to the upper-class residential area, telling Nevan the background of the mission they were on, eventually finding the rear of a house with a raised ramp and a man patrolling the back yard.

She approached the gate, calling, "Vald?"

"Yeah. What you want, Dragonborn?"

"Mercer needs you in Markarth, right away."

"But I can't leave here!" Vald objected. "I'm supposed to watch his house. I can't do both!"

"I will watch it for you. We have some time to spare before we must be in Solitude."

Vald smiled. "Hey, that's nice of ya, Dragonborn. Here, take the key an' don't let anyone in."

When he left, Yssha purred. "Wait until he is out of earshot, and I will demonstrate the weakest form of Unrelenting Force, so Nevan may gain some knowledge of Shouts."

While they waited, Nevan asked, "Why did Brynjolf give you permission to kill?"

"Because the Guild's primary interest is coin," Yssha replied, "and killing is bad for business. But in this case, also because Mercer betrayed the Guild by stealing from it."

The Sandeman nodded. "Makes sense. It sounds like this Guild is pretty well run."

"It is, and it hunts down non-Guild thieves, so the town is actually safer for having it in place, despite many people's opinions. Including my own, at first."

Nevan chuckled, then it grew into a laugh. "The Mob! Maybe this Skyrim isn't as different from the Empire as I thought, though the Mob combines the theft and assassination, where you seem to keep 'em separate."

By that time, she thought Vald was probably far enough away that he either wouldn't hear, or at least wouldn't pay attention. "Prepare yourself; I am going to use Voice, though at the lowest level I can."

When he seemed as prepared as he could be in total ignorance, she murmured, "Fus!" and the ramp fell with a clatter. "Up, and be prepared for bandits."

The other two followed her, weapons ready, but the first room they came to was empty. As they explored the residence, they encountered a couple of bandits, and she signalled Marcurio to let Nevan handle them. He had no difficulty with them, which she found impressive. Eventually they found a series of tunnels leading to a room full of pressure plates. She studied them for a couple of minutes, then turned to Marcurio. "I would bet this is only the first in a series of traps. You two wait here while I check ahead."

When Marcurio nodded, she went to the door and aimed herself at the exit. "Wuld"!

On the far side of the trap room, she continued along the tunnel, until she found a room with a chest - and a grate which allowed her to hear the conversation on the far side. As quietly as she could, she looted the chest, listening to Marcurio and Nevan.

"Great good Gods, what is she?" the Sandeman asked.

"She is the Dragonborn, a mortal born with the soul and blood of a dragon," Marcurio replied calmly.

"And I thought I was beginning to understand this place." Nevan heaved a sigh. "Now, though, I'm beginning to think that may never happen."

"Ah, do you believe in any deities?" Marcurio asked cautiously.

"Um, sort of. Though I doubt any of the spirits of my clan's warriors have followed me here. They have too much to do at home."

"Then may I suggest you try asking Talos for guidance? He is one of her two Patrons, and may assist you. He was the one who conquered Tamriel and created the Empire the Thalmor are trying to destroy. He was raised to divinity by the Eight who were the deities at the time."

Nevan laughed, shakily. "He sounds almost Sandeman, then. Yes, I will, when we're someplace more hospitable to prayer."

Yssha smiled, and continued on her way. "Feim!" got her past a swinging blade trap, and she was able to open a door trap with lockpicks. That got her into Mercer's hidden office, where she found a figurative gold mine. A frost-enchanted sword labelled Chillrend, a bust of the Grey Fox, a bunch of jewels in a bowl - and the main thing she'd come for, Mercer's plans. She retraced her steps, back through the swinging blades and past the pressure plates, until she reached the two she'd left behind.

"I think I found what Brynjolf wanted, and a bit more for us." She handed Marcurio the gems she'd found. "We need to return to the Cistern."

When they got back and found Brynjolf, he was looking upset. "We've scoured the town and I've spoken to every contact we have left. No sign of Mercer. Any luck on your end?"

"He was not there, but I found these plans." She handed them over.

"Shor's beard!" Brynjolf exclaimed. "He's going after the Eyes of the Falmer? That was Gallus's pet project. If he gets his hands on them, you can be certain he'll be gone for good and set up for life."

"Then we have to stop him," Yssha said.

"Agreed. He's taken everything the Guild has left, and to go after one of the last greatest heists is just an insult. I've spoken to Karliah, and made amends for how the Guild's treated her. Now she wishes to speak with both of us. Quickly, we have no time to lose."


	39. Trinity Restored?

**Author's Note: I have been trying to stick pretty much to telling this story from Yssha's point of view, but since she has little experience of Sandemans, having just met Nevan, there will be some bits from his POV from this point forward.**

* * *

Chapter 39 - Trinity Restored?

When Yssha and her team joined the other two, Karliah was talking to Brynjolf. "Brynjolf, the time has come to decide Mercer's fate. Until a new Guild Master is chosen, the decision falls to you."

"Aye, lass." Brynjolf sighed. "I've come to a decision. Mercer Frey tried to kill both you and the Dragonborn, he betrayed the Guild, murdered Gallus, and made us question our future. He needs to die."

"We have to be very careful, Brynjolf," Karliah cautioned. "Mercer is a Nightingale, an Agent of Nocturnal."

"Then it's all true ... everything I heard in the stories. The Nightingales, their allegiance to Nocturnal and the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Yes. That's why we need to prepare ourselves and meet Mercer on an equal footing. Just outside of Riften, beyond the Southeast Gate, is a small path cut up the mountainside. At the end of that path is a clearing and an old Standing Stone. I'd ask you both meet me there."

Yssha wasn't sure about this whole thing. Nocturnal was one of the Daedric Princes, which she much preferred to avoid. But if the Guild were to survive, which she'd decided was better than having free-lancers with much lower standards take over, Mercer had to be stopped. She said a brief prayer to Talos and Akatosh, then nodded to herself when she felt a brief sense of reassurance.

Once they got to the Standing Stone, Karliah approached her. "I'm glad you're here."

"What is 'here'?" Yssha asked.

"This is the headquarters of the Nightingales, cut into the mountainside by the first of our kind. We've come to seek the edge we need to defeat Mercer Frey."

"What kind of an edge?" Brynjolf asked in turn.

"If you'll follow me, I'll try to explain on the way."

Yssha had a number of questions, but decided they could wait, if the promised explanation didn't cover them. The group entered, looking around the cavern. "So this is Nightingale Hall," Brynjolf said. "I heard about this place when I joined the Guild, but I never believed it existed."

Karliah chuckled. "The assumption that the Nightingales were just a myth was seeded within the Guild on purpose. It helped avert attention from our true nature. What's wrong, Brynjolf? I can almost hear your brow furrowing."

"I'm trying to understand why I'm here, lass. I'm not religious, and I'm certainly not a priest. Why pick me?"

"This isn't about religion, Brynjolf," Karliah said patiently. "It's business. This is Nightingale Hall. You're the first of the uninitiated to set foot inside in over a century. Now, if you'll both proceed to the armory to don your Nightingale Armor, we can begin the Oath."

Yssha was liking this less and less, but she complied, changing out of her dragonscale and into the leather Nightingale gear. When she and Brynjolf were done, he asked Karliah, "Okay, lass. We've got these getups on ... now what?"

"Follow me," Karliah said, and led them to a barred gate. "Beyond this gate is the first step in becoming a Nightingale."

"Whoa there, lass!" Brynjolf objected. "I appreciate the armor, but becoming a Nightingale? That was never discussed."

"To hold any hope of defeating Mercer, we must have Nocturnal at our backs. If she's to accept you as one of her own, an arrangement must be struck."

"What sort of arrangement?" Brynjolf sounded suspicious. "I need to know the terms."

"The terms are quite simple, Brynjolf. Nocturnal will allow you to become a Nightingale and use your abilities for whatever you wish. And in return, both in life and in death, you must serve as a guardian of the Twilight Sepulcher."

Brynjolf sighed. "Aye, there's always a catch. But at this point, I suppose there isn't much to lose. If it means the end of Mercer Frey, you can count me in."

By this time, Yssha was ready to turn around and walk out. Then Karliah addressed her. "What about you? Are you ready to transact the Oath with Nocturnal?"

"I would like a further explanation of the terms," she said.

"By transacting the Oath with Nocturnal, you're entering into a business deal. You'll be provided all of the power and knowledge befitting a Nightingale. You're free to use those powers as you see fit to further your own goals or the goals of the Thieves Guild."

"And in return?"

"In return, you'll be required to defend the Twilight Sepulcher and everything within when the need arises. More importantly, upon your death, your spirit will be bound to the Twilight Sepulcher as one of its guardians. Once the Oath has been struck, the terms are binding. Knowing this, are you ready to undergo the ceremony?"

Yssha started to say no, but Talos intervened, his mental voice amused. _Tell her you are, Ysmir. Nocturnal will recognize you in a way Karliah cannot._ So she nodded instead. "I am ready."

"Good. After I open the gate, please stand on the western circle."

Yssha took her place on the indicated stone platform, Karliah and Brynjolf positioning themselves on the other two while Marcurio and Nevan remained on the floor.

When that was done, Karliah spoke. "My Lady, I've come before you to throw myself upon your mercy and to accept responsibility for my failure. I call upon you, Lady Nocturnal, Queen of Murk and Empress of Shadow ... hear my voice!"

An orb of glowing energy appeared. "Ah, Karliah. I was wondering when I'd hear from you again. Lose something, did we?"

"My Lady, I've come before you to throw myself upon your mercy and to accept responsibility for my failure."

"You're already mine, Karliah. Your terms were struck long ago. What could you possibly offer me now?"

"I have two others that wish to transact the Oath; to serve you both in life and in death."

"You surprise me, Karliah. This offer is definitely weighted in my favor."

"My appetite for Mercer's demise exceeds my craving for wealth, Your Grace."

"Revenge? How interesting ... very well, the conditions are acceptable. You may proceed."

"Lady Nocturnal, we accept your terms. We dedicate ourselves to you as both your avengers and your sentinels. We will honor our agreement in this life and the next until your conditions have been met."

Yssha felt herself the object of intense scrutiny before Nocturnal spoke to Karliah again. "You and Brynjolf will, yes. The soul of this other, however ... dragons do not belong in My realm. But she is needed to return My property. For that purpose alone I name her a Nighingale along with him, and I restore your status to the same. And in the future, I'd suggest you refrain from disappointing me."

The energy orb vanished, and the three descended to join the rest of Yssha's team. Karliah stared at Yssha for several seconds. "So you really are a dragon. I always thought that was figurative, but if my Lady says otherwise, and accepts you without the Oath, I must do the same."

Then she included Brynjolf in the conversation. "Now that you're Nightingales, it's time to reveal the final piece of the puzzle to you; Mercer's true crime. Mercer was able to unlock the Guild's vault without two keys because of what he stole from the Twilight Sepulcher ... the Skeleton Key. By doing this, he's compromised our ties to Nocturnal and in essence, caused our luck to run dry."

"I gather this key unlocks any door, then?" Yssha said.

"Well, yes. But the Key isn't only restricted to physical barriers. All of us possess untapped abilities; the potential to wield great power, securely sealed within our minds. Once you realize the Key can access these traits, the potential becomes limitless."

"If it is that powerful, no one should possess it." Particularly not her, though she'd had no hints of power-hunger from her dragon-soul.

Karliah nodded. "Good, then you understand why this is about more than just Mercer's lust for power."

"If the Key isn't returned to its lock in the Twilight Sepulcher, things will never be the same for the Guild. As time passed, our luck would diminish to the point of non-existence. And whether you know it or not, our uncanny luck defines our trade."

"We should be on our way, then."

"Not quite yet," Karliah said. "Before we depart, Brynjolf has some business to discuss. I suggest you listen to him."

When she did, he surprised her. "With Mercer disgraced, the Guild needs a new leader. You've been too busy to do many jobs for us, but you've repeatedly proven your skills, and the confusion of the war allowed us to re-establish our influence throughout the Holds. Add that you saved all of Nirn from Alduin, Karliah and I think it should be you. Once you return the Skeleton Key to Nocturnal, of course."

"But what about you? You were Mercer's second."

He shook his head. "I'm fine with day-to-day operations, yeah, but I'm no good at policy-setting, lass. You got quite a bit of leadership experience during the war, from what we heard, so you do."

"There is the problem that I will be away more often than at the Guild, due to my other responsibilities with the dragons, the Legion, my new Skyguard, and an investigation I must conduct on Solstheim. I am sure it will get worse once the Dominion begins the Second Great War, which I am sure they will."

Brynjolf gave her a lopsided grin. "I don't see a problem there, lass. Setting policy won't take up much of your time, and I don't mind taking day-to-day stuff off your hands."

"In that case, once this job is finished, I would be honored to accept."

"Let's get on with it, then. Karliah told me that with the Skeleton Key missing from the Twilight Sepulcher, Mercer's seen to it that none of us can benefit from Nocturnal's gifts."

"But she spoke to us."

Karliah shrugged. "We are Nightingales, true, though you are ... a special case. But in order for us to receive our abilities ... our end of the bargain, I'm afraid the Key must be returned."

"Then Nocturnal is angry at us?"

"If Nocturnal was truly displeased with me ... with any of us, she wouldn't have answered my call. I have no doubt that we still hold her favor and I believe it gives us enough of an edge to defeat Mercer Frey."

"That is reassuring. What do we do next?"

"Brynjolf and I are on the way to Irkngthand. Join us as soon as you can. We are quite certain that Mercer's after the Eyes of the Falmer gemstones there."

Yssha nodded. "We will be there as soon as we can."

On the way out of the Nightingale Hall, it was Nevan who broke the silence. "What war, who is Alduin, and what is Nirn?"

Yssha purred in amusement. "Let me take the last question first. You are in the province of Skyrim, a part of the Cyrodiilic Empire, on the continent of Tamriel. This world is called Nirn, and it is located in the plane of Mundus. Does that help?"

"Yes, thanks. And magic works, which it doesn't at home - or I suppose I should say where I came from, instead. Which means it's a great number of universes away."

"Since this must be your home now, yes. I hope you will be able to adjust soon. Now to your other questions. Until recently, Skyrim was in a civil war between the Empire and Ulfric Stormcloak and his troops. I joined the Legion and was in several battles, rising through the ranks, until General Tullius, Legate Rikke, Marcurio and I confronted Ulfric and his chief lieutenant Galmar. At two-to-one odds, they were defeated, and the war ended."

"My turn," Marcurio said. "Alduin, also called the World-Eater, was supposed to herald the end of Nirn, or possibly all of Mundus, we aren't sure. He was supposedly the first-born of Akatosh, chief of the Nine Divines. But Akatosh decided to give us a chance, so He sent us a Dragonborn, in the person of Yssha of Ysshaya. We found our way into the Nord part of the afterlife, called Sovngarde, where he was eating the souls of the dead. With the help of the three greatest Nord heroes, called the Tongues, we - mostly she - were able to defeat him, and were returned to Nirn."

"That's ... very impressive," Nevan said. "I gather those were the most important parts of Skyrim's recent history?"

"Yes, and if you can read our language as well as you speak it, you will be able to get more details," Yssha said. "But now we need to get home, and see to finding you some armor." She looked around, judging the open area near the Stone. "It does not look like enough room for a dragon the size of Odahviing," she said. "I fear we must walk back to him."

As they walked toward Riften, Yssha said, "Tell us a bit about your world, please."

"The Terran Empire was up to six thousand habitable worlds when I ... came here, and still growing. My home world is Sandeman, but because of my work, I was usually either in space or on a number of different worlds. Back when I was a lieutenant, we had our most recent major rebellion, fighting the Irshchan White Order. They infiltrated the Imperial Palace on Terra itself. I was in the group that retook it, and received the Imperial Medal of Honor and a promotion for my part in it. Not too long afterward, I swore fealty to Ranger - I guess you'd call it something like Imperial Princess - Corina Losinj, and I've served her ever since. She didn't let me get the customary cheek tattoo because she mostly had me working as a Field Agent, which meant going undercover a lot. That was twenty years ago."

"And you said this Princess was of a race similar to mine," Yssha said thoughtfully. "Then your Empire's monarchy is not hereditary?"

"No, the Rangers elect a new Successor when the Sovereign dies and the current Successor becomes Sovereign. Rather to my thakur's annoyance, she was elected last time that happened. She hates being restricted, for all practical purposes, to the Palace."

"An emotion I would share if it happened to me," Yssha agreed. They were passing Riften now, and she could see glimpses of red through the trees. Not long afterward, they were mounted and flying toward Lakeview Manor.

When they landed and dismounted, Nevan whistled. "Not bad," he said. "It'd be a lot nicer with indoor plumbing, but I guess I'll get used to outdoor privies eventually."

"Indoor plumbing." Yssha looked at him quizzically. "What is that?"

"Pipes that run water to places in the house where it's wanted, supplied by a pump at the water supply point, or occasionally, a cistern somewhere higher than the highest pipe it supplies. But the slang version refers specifically to toilets - a ceramic bowl with a seat like a privy's and a tank that fills with water. A handle on the tank opens a valve that sends the waste-filled water down a pipe leading to a septic tank and leach field. No stink, much cleaner than a privy, and you don't have to go out in the weather to use it."

"Do you know how to do this?" Yssha demanded.

Nevan shrugged. "I'm no specialist, but everyone knows the basics, yes."

"Then I want one. Or perhaps more." She pointed him toward the carpenter's bench where Rayya stood. "Rayya, I introduce Nevan darLeras. He is a warrior from another plane, or universe, and he is on my team and of this household. He will require a private bedroom, and describes something I want very much, if it is possible."

She turned to the warrior. "Please describe this indoor plumbing to her. This is Rayya, my housecarl and steward."

Before he was more than a few words into the description of the toilet, she pushed some paper in front of him and handed him a piece of charcoal. "Can you sketch what you're talking about?"

"The most basic versions, sure. If you want heated seats or variable flush, you're getting beyond my knowledge, though."

"Basic is fine," Yssha said with certainty. "Draw, please!"

Nevan chuckled and began sketching. "Water source with pump, or cistern, feeding a water tank. We usually use ceramic, but anything non-porous would work. Tank innards are a flapper valve to release the water into the waste bowl, like this, and a float to control how much water comes in when it refills. The bowl has a seat and outflow pipe, so. The outflow pipe goes to a septic tank, where the solid waste breaks down into a liquid. Then it goes into a leach field, where gravel and dirt absorb the waste and it finishes breaking down."

"That doesn't allow for the sort of post-excretion cleanup we use," Marcurio pointed out. "But it does look a lot like those things we find so many of in Dwemer ruins." He grinned. "We'll have to show this to Calcelmo. He was theorizing they were some sort of shrine."

Nevan chuckled. "No, septic systems aren't designed for corncobs and writing paper. You'll need a thin, absorbent paper - toilet paper - that breaks down fast enough not to clog the perforated pipes that feed the leach field."

"How big do leach fields have to be?"

"Sorry, I don't remember, and don't have any way to look it up, here. I know it's big enough that urban areas have to have sewage systems and treatment plants rather than septic systems, but small enough that farms, and suburbs with at least half-acre lots, can have them."

"So." Yssha turned to Rayya. "Is this possible?"

To her relief, her housecarl nodded. "All of it can be done, but not immediately. I'll need to consult with a smith, a potter, and a paper-maker, and it would have been easier early in the construction project, but I'm sure you'll have toilets before winter."

"Thank the Nine!" Yssha exclaimed. "Nevan, try to remember what you can of sewage systems, please. The Jarls will not be happy if farmers and those in tiny towns can have a luxury they and their cities cannot."

"I'll do my best, of course, but don't get your hopes up. Sewage systems are a lot like everything going to a huge septic tank, but I know very little about how the sewage treatment plants work." He shrugged. "Your best bet might be using some kind of magic."

"You have a point," Yssha conceded. "Now, if you will tell Rayya what you need for sleeping quarters - ?"

"Just privacy," Nevan told her. "It's not so much for me, but if I'm asleep and someone touches me, I'm trained to start fighting before I really wake up. Even in Officer Candidate School, Sandemans of the warrior caste have private rooms. The sound of a door opening gives us time to wake up enough the hair trigger turns off. Most of the time, anyway, so even there, the trainers shook our beds rather than touching us if we weren't already fully awake."

"That sounds remarkably dangerous to anyone around you," Rayya said. "I'll add a closed bedroom in that wing, but for now, the only private area is the cellar."

Yssha purred a chuckle. "He is more dangerous than you would believe, Housecarl. Prepare him a bed in the cellar, and warn everyone here not to go down without making noise."

She gestured Nevan toward the house. "Come in, and have a drink while I find that cuirass."

Nevan followed her inside. "If by drink you mean alcohol, no, thanks. It makes Sandemans violently ill, since the gods-cursed Shapers didn't want us getting drunk. Though if you have any milk or herb tea, that would be welcome."

Marcurio whooped with laughter, getting an indignant look from the new team member until he brought himself under control and explained. "To the Nords, 'milk-drinker' is an insult, meaning more or less a child who can't take care of himself. So I'd advise you against asking for that, anywhere but in one of Yssha's homes. Tisane, herb tea, is marginally more acceptable. Or there's small beer, which has very little alcohol. Water isn't safe unless it's been boiled."

Nevan sighed. "All right. I'm not optimistic, but I'll try the small beer. Just have a container nearby in case it's strong enough to trigger the anti-alcohol engineering."

"Okay." Marcurio went into the kitchen and returned with both, as well as an ale for himself and wine for Yssha when she returned. "Here."

Nevan sipped, very cautiously, then waited. While he was doing that, Yssha returned with the cuirass, and he tried it on. With some adjustment of the straps, it fit well enough that it wouldn't hamper his fighting, and he nodded. "Thank you, Lady Yssha."

"Why do you call me that?" she asked curiously.

"Because 'Lady' is the honorific we use for our women of the warrior caste, and while you aren't Sandeman, you're most definitely a warrior woman." He wouldn't describe what that meant in the Empire he came from, though, he decided; she probably wouldn't appreciate it.

"How're you doing?" Marcurio asked.

"A little queasy, but I don't think I'm going to throw up," Nevan replied. "I do think I'll carry a canteen of boiled water, though, for most of the time."

Yssha smiled, startling him. "Uh, if that was a smile, your body language is very similar to Irshchan."

"It was, and that is most interesting," Yssha said. "I was going to suggest we eat and rest, because we will have to leave for Irkngthand early tomorrow." She frowned, then. "We need to stop Mercer as soon as possible."

Nevan nodded. "Probably a good idea. I doubt Rayya's had time to find me a bed, so if you have a bedroll I could use, I'll be fine."

"Of course," Yssha said. "Along with some furs to use as a mattress."

Nevan grinned. "Luxury, then! We usually sleep in furs. I'll see you in the morning."


	40. Blindsighted

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Chapter 40 - Blindsighted

When Odahviing arrived the next morning and learned their destination, he opened his mouth in what Yssha had learned to recognize as a grin. "Be prepared to climb, then. And ignore the gate; to get in, you will need to climb a stairway, then make your way across the roofs. The entrance is at the top. Unfortunately, there is no place up there for me to land."

"It's too bad we didn't have dragons in my home universe," Nevan commented.

"You might have found us less than welcome under Alduin, and those sworn neither to the Way of the Voice nor to the Dragonborn are ... less than cooperative," Odahviing cautioned. "We have a drive to domination which can only be controlled by a stronger individual ... in our case, the Dragonborn, by right of conquest and the power of her Thu'um - her Shouts."

"Hmm, in that case, maybe it's a good thing my Empire doesn't have them. Though you'd make terrific opponents!"

"I am sure you will have the opportunity to fight a number of us, as many prefer not to cooperate with either Paarthurnax or Dovahkiin, and those continue to prey on whatever they wish." He crouched to allow them to mount, and not long afterward, the team was dismounting.

Following Odahviing's advice, they ignored the gate, but some bandits nearby didn't ignore them. Yssha and Marcurio dealt with one apiece, then ... kept out of Nevan's way while he killed the other three, looking happy, and definitely in his element. When he was done and cleaning his sword, Yssha spoke. "After fighting you myself, I should not be surprised you had such an easy time. But I still find myself impressed at your speed and precision."

Nevan smiled. "I told you I was engineered as a warrior. All of my race are stronger and faster than standard humans, with the warriors even more so. Add training since the age of five on top of that ... well, even a small group of standards doesn't have much of a chance. And if combat happens this often here, I won't need to ask for the life-combat very often, if at all."

"We noticed," Marcurio said drily. "Maybe you should take the lead."

"Perhaps when he has more knowledge of the non-human enemies we face, and what is most effective against each," Yssha said. "Until then, I believe experience takes precedence."

"I couldn't agree more," Nevan said. "I don't even know what sort of enemies you have, other than humans, much less how to fight them."

"We'll try to identify them and give you quick hints as we encounter them," Marcurio promised. "This is a Dwemer ruin, so we're likely to run into dwarven automatons. Sparks and blunt or two-handed weapons are best against them, so use your bow when you can. Once we get deeper, Falmer are possible, even likely. They're blind, but have excellent hearing, so moving as quietly as you can is helpful. Anything that works against humans works just fine against them."

"And traps," Yssha added. "There are almost always traps." Then she outlined what to loot and what to leave, and why. When she was sure he understood, they continued up the stairs and along a rickety set of planks and occasional steps, until they came to the entrance. They hadn't had to melee with any more bandits, though Nevan had picked a couple off with his bow and Marcurio had gotten another with a lightning bolt.

When they entered Irkngthand, they found a massacre. Nevan and Marcurio began looting bandit bodies - whoever had killed them hadn't bothered - while Yssha had her lockpicks out and was working on a chest. Nevan wasn't too happy about this part, but it seemed to be the custom here, and he supposed he'd get used to it.

"Dwarven Sphere," Yssha pointed out when they entered the next room. Nevan unlimbered his bow and began shooting at the odd gold-colored robot while Marcurio cast spells at it and Yssha closed in with her mace. The next room had three more. These weren't as easy as the bandits, but not overly difficult with even odds, either.

The next room had some sort of rotating flamethrowers, and Marcurio handed out Resist Fire potions while Yssha studied the the patterns of rotation and Nevan traded bow for sword, since there was no real open space for a ranged weapon. After about a minute, Yssha nodded. "I have the pattern, and if we are quick, we should get through without getting singed."

That proved to be the case, and not long after, they were in a circular room with a lever in the center. "This is a Dwemer lift," Yssha told Nevan, pulling the lever, and they descended into a large cavern, where they found Karliah and Brynjolf waiting.

"Mercer's been here. I hope we aren't too late," Karliah greeted them.

"What of the dead bandits just inside the door?" Yssha asked.

"Not our work," Karliah said. "Brynjolf and I found them like that. Mercer's doing. We have to catch up to him before it's too late."

"We are ready," Yssha said.

"We should tread carefully. I wouldn't be surprised if he's left behind a few surprises for us."

They moved down a short tunnel, emerging onto a barred balcony.

Karliah went to the bars, and gasped. "Wait a moment ... what's that? It's Mercer! Look ... down there!"

Brynjolf explored the balcony. "I'm on it, lass. Damn it! There's no way through."

"He's toying with us. He wants us to follow."

"Aye, lass ... and we'll be ready for him. Let's keep moving."

They finally found a way down by pulling two levers in rapid succession, but by then, Mercer had vanished.

The group made its way past a collapsed tower that blocked the obvious way forward, so Yssha cast Pathfinder until they found another chamber with a huge humanoid figure standing under an arch.

"Shor's Bones!" Brynjolf exclaimed. "Look at that monstrosity!"

Karliah nodded. "It's a Dwarven Centurion. Very tough and very deadly."

There were Falmer in the place as well, and Yssha wasn't happy with the idea of fighting a Centurion followed by a large number of Falmer. "Centurions will attack anything that moves, and the door we just came through is too small for it. So we find its activating lever, then retreat. Nevan, please shoot past it as soon as it moves."

"Sure." Nevan readied his bow, then pointed to a button beside the door, close to the floor. "Could this be it?"

"Possibly." Yssha led the retreat, and when they were all ready, she knelt, reached around the edge of the doorway, and pushed the button. About a second later, Nevan fired an arrow next to its head, making it turn its back on them, and Yssha closed the door.

Sounds of battle came from the other side, lasting for what seemed to be a long time. When the noise finally subsided, Yssha said, "If we are fortunate, the Centurion and Falmer have finished each other off, but at worst, the odds against us will be less."

They were fortunate. The Centurion was down and motionless, and if any Falmer survived, they had no interest in confronting the group of armed humans, so after looting the Centurion, Yssha cast Pathfinder again. That led them to a door near a nest of frostbite spiders, which she and Marcurio burned out before they went through the door. Inside was a torture chamber with a dwarven spider, two live Falmer, and a dead thief. Neither the spider nor the Falmer lived long, and when they were dead, Karliah commented, "Even the Falmer don't deserve the pain these implements must have inflicted. The dwarves were a cruel race."

A bit further on, she warned them about the Falmer: "There's a mass of Falmer in this chamber. We can sneak through or take them down ... I don't care. As long as we get to Mercer."

Brynjolf agreed. "Maybe we can get up on these overhead pipes an' avoid them. Me, I'm sick of Falmer. I'd rather sneak."

Yssha looked around, getting nods. "We sneak, then. If you must talk, do so quietly." Then she made her way up on top of the pipes, which appeared to carry water. Were they perhaps below a lake?

Their progress was slow but steady, and it wasn't too long before they neared another door and descended from the pipes.

"Mercer's close," Karliah said softly. "I'm certain of it. We must prepare ourselves."

"Then this is it," Brynjolf said. "We do this for Gallus and for the Guild."

As they entered, they saw Mercer trying to pry the Eyes of the Falmer from a huge statue.

Karliah spoke in a near-whisper. "He's here and he hasn't seen us yet. Brynjolf, watch the door."

"Aye, lass. Nothing's getting by me."

Karliah turned to Yssha. "Climb down that ledge and see if you can ..."

Mercer looked up at them. "Karliah, when will you learn you can't get the drop on me?" He sounded amused.

Then his attention turned to Yssha. "When Brynjolf brought you before me I could feel a sudden shift in the wind. And at that moment, I knew it would end with one of us at the end of a blade."

Yssha nodded. "The difference is that I still have honor."

Mercer sneered. "It's clear you'll never see the Skeleton Key as I do ... as an instrument of limitless wealth. Instead you've chosen to fall over your own foolish code."

"If anyone falls, it will be you."

Yssha headed for a ramp that led up and behind the huge statue. If she could beat him there, make him follow her to carry out his threat, she could use Unrelenting Force to throw him to the ground and kill him - if the Shout itself didn't do that.

"Then the die is cast, and once again my blade will taste Nightingale blood!"

Yes, he was following her - good! She turned once she was at the top of the ramp, preparing her Shout.

What she hadn't allowed for was Nevan following Mercer, sword out and a predatory look on his face, and she grinned. Mercer didn't know it yet, but he was a dead man walking. And she would let Nevan carry on, rather than Shouting, since she didn't want to injure the young warrior.

A bit less than halfway up, Nevan struck, killing Mercer in a single stroke. Which was wise, Yssha thought, given what she'd seen of Mercer's combat abilities. "Grab everything you find on him," she called.

"Right!" he called back, crouching to search the former Guildmaster. Then, "Hey!" as he was hit by a burst of water from above.

"Damn!" Karliah yelled. "This place is coming down! Let's get out of here!"

"No luck here, lass," Brynjolf said. "Something must have fallen on the other side of the door because it isn't moving!"

Karliah sounded desperate. "We have to find another way out of here before the place fills with water!"

Yssha looked around, but didn't see anything until Nevan yelled, "Up there! A hole!"

"Over here, everyone!" Yssha called. "It may be a way out, but we will have to float up to it."

The rest joined her as quickly as they could make it through the rapidly-rising water. Fortunately, it wasn't falling directly on them, but they still had to struggle to keep together in the turbulence. That subsided as the water rose, giving the inflow less far to fall and gather speed, so they were able to hold their position as the hole grew closer. Karliah and Marcurio were the first ones able to scramble out of the water and up further into the hole, now recognizable as a cave.

The other three wasted no time joining them, Yssha wishing she could shake the water out of her sodden fur, but she wasn't about to take her armor off just yet.

When the group was together again, Karliah said, "I can't believe it's over. Twenty-five years in exile and just like that, it's done. All that remains is to ensure the safe return of the Skeleton Key."

"That does not seem like a difficult task," Yssha said. Of course, if experience was any guide, it would be.

Karliah's next words confirmed that. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. When the Skeleton Key was stolen from the Twilight Sepulcher, our access to the inner sanctum was removed. The only way to bring it back will be through the Pilgrim's Path."

"I take it you never used the Pilgrim's Path?"

Karliah shook her head. "It wasn't created for the Nightingales. It was created to test those who wished to serve Nocturnal in other ways. As a consequence, I have no knowledge of what you'll be facing."

"Then we had best get started."

"Brynjolf is needed back at the Thieves Guild to keep order while you're away. And I ... I can't bear to face Nocturnal after my failure to protect the Key. I'm afraid you'll have to face the end of your journey alone."

"Do not worry. My team and I will return the Key."

"Take this with you." Karliah handed Yssha her bow. "I'm not certain if it will help within the walls of the Sepulcher, but I certainly don't need it as much as you. I've had this bow almost my entire life, and it's never let me down. I hope it brings you the same luck."

Yssha accepted it with thanks, even knowing she was unlikely to ever use it, given her lack of skill at archery. Then she and her team began climbing their way out of the cave, emerging into daylight after maybe five minutes. She had never seen a cave with Dwemer piping outside like this, so she turned to Marcurio. "Do you know where we are?"

"I'm pretty sure that's Lake Yorgrim, so we're still in the Pale. The cave may be Bronze Water, but I'm less sure of that. At any rate, we're roughly five miles north of Irkngthand."

"And cold!" Nevan said. "I'm going back in the cave until I dry off. I can't handle the cold for very long, I'm afraid."

"Then we will have to warm you up," Yssha said, re-entering the cave. She found a nice outcropping of rock and used Fire Breath on it until it began to glow a dim red and give off heat.

Nevan positively basked in the warmth, and Yssha purred at his pleasure. "I shall have to get Farengar to add a warmth enchantment to the Fortify Health one on your armor, I see," she told him. "Marcurio and I have that, and with it, you will be comfortable even at the peak of the Throat of the World."

"So Farengar is a mage, and the Throat of the World is a mountain."

"Both correct. Farengar is the court mage at Dragonsreach, the Jarl of Whiterun's palace. The Throat of the World is the highest mountain on this continent of Tamriel. Even in a fur coat, I nearly froze on our first trip to the Greybeards. Those are an order of monks who live at High Hrothgar, perhaps halfway to the summit."

A red dragon head appeared in the cave entrance, and Odahviing said, "I heard your Thu'um, Dovahkiin, and came to see if you need any assistance."

"Drem yol lok, Odahviing. No, it is just that we all got soaked, and Nevan was suffering from the cold. Heating some rock seemed more efficient than making a fire. When he is dry, we will ask you to take us home."

"Then I will wait here and block you from the wind. You might like to know that your dov forces are up to over a hundred, and more are joining daily. Since you are so busy, I accepted their oaths as your proxy."

"Excellent!" Yssha exclaimed. "You anticipate my wishes very well, my friend. I could have no better dovah lieutenant."

Odahviing preened. There was no other word, Nevan decided. "How many of you dovah are there?"

"It is dov, if you mean dragonkind," Odahviing said. "As for individual dovah, only our father Akatosh knows. Probably a couple of thousand at any given time, but He can and will create more of us if He wills. And on occasion we do breed, but only on the Akaviri continent."

"Like salmon, who have to breed where they were spawned?"

Odahviing hesitated, seeming to consider. "Accurate, if a bit vowerid - of an insult. Dov are a proud folk, and being compared to a tiny fish is ... less than pleasant."

Nevan flushed, bowing to the dovah. "My humblest apologies, Odahviing. I meant no insult; it was simply the best analogy I know."

"None taken, then," the dragon replied. "I must remember that you are new here, and cannot be expected to know the proper courtesies."

Nevan choked back a laugh. "If you'll forgive me, that sounds very much like how Sandemans feel about those not of our race. They don't know proper polite behavior, so must be forgiven much, until they learn better."

Odahviing snorted, then managed a creditable imitation of a human laugh. "Indeed. It would seem your race and mine have that in common, at least. Yes, I will make such allowances, and tell Dovahkiin's other vahrinne - those sworn to her - to do so as well."

"Thank you. I'll learn as fast as I can, I promise."

"Speak to her dovah house-guards as your time permits, then. They will teach you our language and courtesies. Are you warm enough to travel yet?"

To his surprise, Nevan was able to nod. Between the heated rock and Odahviing blocking the wind, he was actually comfortable. "As fast as you fly, yes. We'll be home before I have time to get cold again."

"And you will ride between Marcurio and me, so the warmth of our armor provides some protection," Yssha said.

Odahviing stepped back from the cave entrance and extended a wing so they could mount.


	41. Guildmaster

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Chapter 41 - Guildmaster

The next morning, they made a trip to Whiterun to introduce Nevan to Adrianne and other friends, then went up to Dragonsreach, where she got Farengar to add a warmth enchantment to Nevan's armor. Yssha grinned when the mage began questioning the newcomer as soon as he finished that. "Do not get too involved, Farengar," she cautioned. "We must leave as soon as I speak to Jarl Balgruuf."

"But this is so fascinating! I must learn more of him and his world!" Farengar protested.

"I promise, he will speak to you later. Now I must introduce him to the Jarl, and ask him a favor."

Farengar looked disappointed, but nodded. "Very well, Dragonborn. I am pleased to have met you, young man."

"Likewise," Nevan replied. "And thank you for enchanting my armor."

Then they approached the Jarl. Introductions accomplished, he grinned at Yssha. "You told Farengar you needed a favor - what might that be?"

"You must have heard by now that I am trying to recruit former Stormcloaks for the non-dragon part of the Skyguard I am forming. I have only one recruit at the moment, Franken Hard-Head, but he is recruiting among his fellows, and I will need a place to headquarter them. Does Whiterun Hold have such a place, and if so, how much would it cost me?"

"You got Franken, hmm? He's a good man, even though he does live up to his name. He was also the Stormcloak equivalent of a Legate, so he'll probably bring you a good number of men." Balgruuf thought for a moment, then grinned. "I've got a perfect place for your headquarters. Fellglow Keep has been a thorn in my side ever since a group of rogue mages and their hangers-on took it over. Clear them out and turn the place into something that protects my people instead of menacing them, and you can have it. That way both of us benefit."

"That is most generous of you, my Jarl," Yssha bowed her thanks. "If people need the Skyguard's aid, do as the College of Winterhold did, and fly a red flag, or spread a red cloth somewhere it can be seen from the air. For now, that aid will be limited to dragons and my team, but we will do our best for you."

"I know you will, Dragonborn." Balgruuf said. "The Legion helps where it can, but that's mostly near their forts, and the Companions are so few their help is also limited. I look forward to the Skyguard's aid."

"Like the Legion, we will also be preparing for the Second Great War, but our training and patrols will cover Skyrim and eventually the rest of what remains of the Empire, with a speed and force the Legion and Companions simply cannot match."

"Yes, being able to fly. But you're in a hurry as usual, I gather, so don't let me keep you."

"You know me too well, my Jarl." She bowed, and the team left Dragonsreach.

"Where next?" Marcurio asked as they walked toward the city gates. "Given Odahviing's speed, maybe we can check on Taarie's surprise for you before we go to the Twilight Sepulcher."

"And it would give Nevan a chance to see the nicest city in Skyrim. We shall do that, then." The walk to the gates was through nearly-empty streets, which puzzled her until the gate guard grinned and opened them.

She wouldn't have believed the scene outside a few days ago. Odahviing was surrounded by people, including what looked like every child in Whiterun ... and he seemed to enjoy the fuss being made over him. "Make fire again!" Lucia called.

"Once more, then we must leave." Odahviing raised his head and very quietly Shouted, "Yol!"

That got him cheers, and the crowd began to disperse. When they were gone, Yssha said, "You enjoy being popular?"

"Rather than feared, as we were for so long?" Odahviing hesitated. "Yes, I believe I actually do. It is strange, but I ... enjoyed showing off for the little ones, and being praised for helping you. I think I could easily get used to it, though inspiring fear also has its pleasures."

"You'll have both, you know," Marcurio pointed out. "Praise from the people the Skyguard protects, fear from those it's doing the protecting against."

Yssha got a feeling of satisfaction from the dovah. "That is something I shall have to tell the rest," he said, extending his wing for them to mount. "Where next?"

"A brief stop in Solitude, then on to the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Very well. While you are at the Sepulcher, I will call all who acknowledge you as thur to the Throat of the World and tell them of this ... phenomenon. Shall we go?"

He took off as soon as they were settled, but when they got close to Solitude, circled the city before landing. Announcing their arrival, was he? Yssha thought with amusement. Well, it gave him something to do while they were in a city, so why not?

The team went into Solitude, walking around a bit so Nevan could see some of the sights before going into the Radiant Raiment. Taarie greeted them and Yssha introduced her new team member before asking, "Is the surprise ready?"

"It certainly is," Taarie said, going behind the counter to return with two folded red garments. "These are for you and Marcurio. Let me take a few measurements, and I'll make a third for Nevan. Take a look at them!"

Yssha smiled and shook hers out. It was a surcoat, front and back embroidered with the stylized Imperial dragon in gold. She put it on immediately, purring loudly. "It is perfect! Taarie, you have just designed the uniform for the humanoid members of the Skyguard. Gold embroidery for the officers, plain yellow for the troopers. I will need a number of these, not just our three, in standard Nord sizes. I have only one officer as yet, so only one large with gold. Can you do it?"

Taarie laughed. "If we hire help, Endarie and I can probably have several done in a week, yes. But supply enough for a group the size of what it sounds like you have in mind? I doubt it, to be honest. But I'll make inquiries of clothing makers in the other holds, if you'd like, and coordinate with them."

"I would like that very much, and I will of course pay for that service, as well as for the surcoats."

Taarie took Nevan's measurements, then Marcurio paid her, and they left with the promise she would send Nevan's surcoat to Lakeview Manor when it was done.

Outside the gates, Odahviing was once again surrounded by admirers. This time he shooed them away as soon as he saw the team. When they were mounted and settled, he took wing.

* * *

When they landed at the Sepulcher and dismounted, Odahviing took off on his own mission, and they entered. It wasn't quite a ruin, but there had been damage from something, since they found collapsed columns, and a specter at the bottom of the entry stairs. When they approached, it said, "I don't recognize you, but I sense that you're one of us. Who are you?"

"I am Yssha of Ysshaya. My companions are my husband Marcurio and the warrior Nevan darLeras. Now who would you be?"

The specter sighed. "The last of the Nightingale Sentinels, as far as I know. I've defended the Sepulcher alone for what seems like an eternity."

"The last? What happened to the rest?"

"We were betrayed by one of our own kind. In fact, I'm to blame for what's happened here."

"How are you to blame?"

"I was blinded. Blinded by dark treachery masquerading as friendship. Perhaps if I had been more vigilant, then Mercer Frey wouldn't have lured me to my fate and stolen the Skeleton Key."

Yssha had a flash of enlightenment. "Wait a moment ... You are Gallus!":

"I haven't heard that name in a long time. How do you know of me?"

"I have the Key."

"The Key! You have the Skeleton Key! I never thought I'd see it again. And Mercer Frey?"

"He is dead, at Nevan's hand."

"Then ... it's over and my death wasn't in vain. I owe you and your team a great deal, Nightingale."

"We did this to aid the Guild."

"You've done the Guild a great service. And although they may not show it, I'm certain they appreciate your sacrifices. My only regret is that you had to undertake this task alone."

"That was not necessary," Yssha said. "Karliah helped me."

"Karliah ... she's still alive?" Gallus brightened. "I feared she'd befallen the same fate, ending up a victim of Mercer's betrayal."

"No," Yssha assured him. "She is alive and well. It would seem proper for you to take the Key and right all the wrongs."

"Nothing would bring me more pride than to return the Key, but I'm afraid it's impossible. From the moment I arrived here, I've felt myself ... well ... dying."

"How can a spirit die?"

"The Sepulcher isn't merely a temple or a vault to house the Key. Within these walls is the Ebonmere ... a conduit to Nocturnal's realm of Evergloam. When Mercer stole the Key, that conduit closed, severely limiting our ties to her."

"Then my team and I shall have to proceed without a guide."

"I'm afraid so. I'm weakening, and I can feel myself slipping away. The years without restoration of my power have taken their toll. Whatever damage has been caused can only be corrected by following the Pilgrim's Path to the Ebonmere and replacing the Key."

"Then we shall do so. But is there anything else you can tell us about the Pilgrim's Path?"

"I wish I could help you, but I've been a prisoner in this very chamber for the last quarter century. The only possible help I've come across are the remains of some poor fellow who was trying to go the same place you will be. Perhaps his journal can help?"

Only part of the journal had what seemed like possibly useful information, though it wasn't very specific. more like vague hints, but Yssha took it along anyway. The first hint was, "Shadows of their former selves, sentinels of the dark. They wander ever more and deal swift death to defilers."

"That sounds like more Nightingale Sentinels, but not friendly ones," Marcurio said, and they almost immediately found out he was right. There were only a couple of them in that room to fight, so it went easily, as did a third on the stairway to the second part.

The hint for that one was, "Above all they stand, vigilance everlasting. Beholden to the murk yet contentious of the glow." The room they found was mostly dark with some lighted areas. Yssha found out very quickly that straying out of the shadows into the lighted areas was a very bad idea. It seemed light spells were allowed, though, so she repeatedly cast Candlelight, and they moved through the darkened areas, avoiding four tripwires, until they reached a corridor.

Pausing there, she read the next clue. "Offer what She desires most, but reject the material. For her greatest want is that which cannot be seen, felt or carried." The next room held a statue of Norturnal lit by two stone torches and a tray with some gold and soul gems, which she took after looting the bandit. What Nocturnal wanted in this context was obvious, and pull chains behind the torches doused them, also opening a passage behind the statue.

"Direct and yet indirect. The path to salvation a route of cunning with fortune betraying the foolish," she read. "Hmm. 'A route of cunning' I would take to mean avoiding the obvious straight-ahead pathway. Let us try that door on the left, instead."

It was locked, of course, but the Skeleton Key made picking it easier than usual. Inside were two more Nightingale Sentinels, hardly a problem for the three. There was some minor loot which she picked up before reading the final clue, "The journey is complete, the Empress's embrace awaits the fallen. Hesitate not if you wish to gift her your eternal devotion."

"Well, not quite complete," Marcurio pointed out. "Those corridors should take us there, though."

Sure enough, the corridors finally led to a door, another corridor, and a second door. They were cautious, but found no opposition or traps, although the second door led to a room with no other exits except what looked like a well with a body at the bottom.

"I don't like the looks of this," Nevan said. "That looks an awful lot like a literal dead end."

"I see no alternative, however," Yssha said. "It is the only possible way forward, and we must return the Key. I hate trusting a Daedric Prince, but she does want her property back." She jumped into the well, and after a few seconds the others followed.

There was nothing to do now but wait, so they did, and maybe a minute later, the floor of the well descended like a Dwemer lift. It took them to a room with three doors and a lock on the floor at her feet. She inserted the Skeleton Key. That reopened the Ebonmere, and Nocturnal appeared from it.

"Well, well, well," she said, sounding amused. "I see you kept your word, dragon. Very well, you will have the reward you've earned. I bid you to drink deeply from the Ebonmere, mortal. For this is where the Agent of Nocturnal is born." She paused. "But you may not return to my realm, so you may not change which power I give you. So speak to Karliah, who is here briefly, and then choose carefully." She vanished. Yssha looked around to find her friend, and went to greet her.

"I'm glad you were able to bring the Key back safely. Nocturnal seemed quite pleased with your efforts."

"Pleased? She sounded indifferent.":

"I wouldn't take that to heart. It's her way. Think of her as a scolding mother continually pushing you harder to be successful; outwardly sounding angry but silently content." She paused, changing the subject. "She's letting you pick which of three powers you want, like one of her regular Agents of Nocturnal, but unlike the rest, she doesn't want you back here. So pick one of the circles at the base of the Ebonmere. The crescent moon represents Shadow, the half moon is for Subterfuge, and the full moon is for Strife."

"What do those entail?"

"Shadow is stealth. An Agent of Stealth is the master of remaining unseen. They are able to manipulate the darkness and use it to their advantage. On moonlit nights or in darkened rooms, this agent literally becomes invisible.

"Subterfuge is dissension. An Agent of Subterfuge utilizes shadow to cloud the judgement of those around him. By weaving the darkness to their will, this agent can manipulate others into fighting for him for a limited time."

"Strife is a form of psychic vampirism. An Agent of Strife can send forth a tendril of pure darkness into the heart of another, causing great injury to them. At the same time, this tether will bolster the agent's own life force, making him stronger."

That wasn't a difficult choice for her. Yssha went to stand on the crescent moon briefly, then turned back to Karliah. "What will you do now?"

"The Guild has welcomed me back with open arms. I feel like a void in my life has finally been filled. I only hope that this isn't an ending to things, but actually the beginning."

"The beginning of what?"

"Why, perhaps the greatest crime spree Skyrim's ever known." Karliah grinned. "There are pockets brimming with coin and coffers overflowing with riches ripe for the picking. We may be Nightingales, but in our hearts we're still thieves and we're damn good at what we do."

Yssha purred in amusement as the other two laughed. Before she could say anything, though, Gallus' spirit appeared.

"Karliah?"

"Gallus! I feared I would never see you again. I was afraid you'd become like the others."

"If it were not for the actions of this Nightingale, your fears would have come true. She honors us all."

"What will you do now, my love?"

"Nocturnal calls me to the Evergloam. My contract has been fulfilled."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"When your debt to Nocturnal has been paid, we'll embrace once again."

"Farewell, Gallus. Eyes open ... walk with the shadows."

"Goodbye, Karliah." He vanished.

"Where did he go?" Yssha asked.

"Gallus's Oath has been paid. His actions have satisfied the terms. Now his spirit becomes one with the Evergloam ... the realm of perpetual twilight and the cradle of shadow."

"So, he's gone?"

"No, not gone, at least the way I think you mean. He's become one with the shadows. This is the greatest honor a Nightingale can possibly achieve. In death, he's become a part of that which we use to live."

"They are a part of the darkness around us?"

"Absolutely. When we say 'walk with the shadows,' we are asking those Nightingales who have passed on to protect us. It's believed that they are literally what guides our uncanny luck ... by placing their hands in ours. That's why the Ebonmere needed to be reopened. Without it, there's no way Nocturnal was able to allow them through."

"Farewell for now, then. I must return to the Guild and tell them the good news."

"May I go with you?" Karliah asked. "It's important for me to speak with Brynjolf."

Yssha cocked her head. "If you do not mind flying, and if Odahviing is willing and able to carry four, certainly. Shall we go?" She picked a door at random, and found it was a portal to the entry room instead. Still, not a bad 'back door'.

Once they were outside, she called Odahviing. "Can and will you carry four, one time?" she asked. "If not, I will send them ahead, and get you to take me separately."

Odahviing studied Karliah. "I am large enough to hold four, but for any more than that, you will need a second dragon." He extended his wing. "Where do you want to go, thuri?"

"Riften, please," Yssha said, showing Karliah - who was looking a bit dubious - how to mount a dragon.

Once they were all settled, Odahviing crouched for a ground takeoff, then launched himself with a powerful leap, wings beating strongly. Then she felt amusement from him, but the wind roar was too loud to ask him why. She made a mental note to ask later, instead. If she remembered.

When the four got to the Ragged Flagon, Brynjolf was waiting. His face lit up and he smiled when he saw her. "It's good to see you in one piece, lass! I just wanted to give you a proper thank you for everything you've done. The Guild is back on its feet again and on its way to a prosperous future. Uh, what about the Skeleton Key?"

"It is safely back where it belongs, in Nocturnal's custody, and the Ebonmere is again open."

Brynjolf sighed in relief. "That's it, then. After all of those years of helplessly watching the Guild decline. But enough of that ... I'm confident that with you in charge, we'll soon have more gold than we could possibly spend."

"Where will you be now?"

"I'll be down here like we agreed, trying to coordinate everything with Delvin and Vex; to make sure the coin keeps flowing ... and no one skims! If you have time and feel like doing some jobs, I'm sure Delvin and Vex have more than their fair share to give out. Either way, it's been a pleasure. Here's to the future of the Guild. May it last another thousand years!"

Then he grinned. "The time's come to make it official, my friend. It's time for you to become our Guild Master. Don't worry, I'll make this short an' sweet. If you'll just meet us in the middle of the Cistern room, we'll begin."

She took time to get a glass of small ale from Vekel, then followed Brynjolf's instructions, and went to the raised platform in the center of the Cistern. Once she was there, he said, "Look, I've never been good at this sort of thing, so I'm going to keep it short. Being Guild Master isn't just getting a cut of all the loot. It's about being a leader and keeping this rabble in order. With that in mind, I propose that the position of Guild Master should be yours." He looked around at the other Guild leaders. "Delvin?"

"Agreed."

"Vex?"

She shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Karliah?"

"Absolutely."

Brynjolf nodded, smiling. "Everyone is in agreement, so all I can do is name you Guild Master and wish you good fortune and long life."

He looked around. "Now, everyone back to work!"

Then he grinned at her. "If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

Yssha was puzzled. She hadn't expected much, after his words, but ... "Was that it? There is nothing else?"

"Huh? We aren't known for wasting our coin, but - by the Nine, I was too nervous to remember. See Tonilia to get your Guild Master armor, and you get the Tribute Chest key. Oh, and one last thing. Here, I want you to take this Amulet of Articulation - it makes you much more persuasive, which you may need with this bunch. It's sort of a tradition around here." He handed over the last two items. "Like I told Karliah, I'm not religious, but ... blessings of the Nine on you, lass. I've a feeling you're going to need 'em."


	42. First Skyguard Assignment

Now that she had achieved Mastership of the Thieves Guild, Yssha wondered what she should do next. There were so _many_ things that needed to be done! Once they got home, she consulted the rest of her people, since it would be stupid not to take advantage of their experience. It was an outside meeting, of course, so Odahviing could be there.

After outlining the options, including her gaining more magical experience and training, she said, "My own inclination is to go to Windhelm and find Franken. Now that we have a promise of a headquarters, I would like to get it established, and begin to set up the training and patrols I mentioned to Jarl Balgruuf."

Rayya nodded. "I would recommend that as well, my Thane. Walled cities are fairly safe, but those without walls, as well as villages and isolated settlements, are all too vulnerable. The people there would welcome a force ready and willing to take on threats like rogue dragons, giants, trolls, bandits ... the dangers Skyrim has in plenty, but only a few can face with any hope of victory."

"And Thalmor," Marcurio added. "Their habit of torturing Talos worshipers to death has got to be discouraged."

"I agree," Yssha said. "Unfortunately, unless the Emperor decrees differently, we are still bound by the White-Gold Concordat, and that forbids us from interfering with them unless directly attacked."

Odahviing snorted a laugh. "It may forbid _you_, thuri, but unless you say otherwise, it cannot forbid _us_." He managed to give the impression of a very innocent look. "After all, dov did not agree to it, as we were all dead at the time."

That got a laugh from the others, and Yssha nodded. "How very true! No, the Concordat cannot bind non-signatories, nor will I hold you to it. Feel free to rescue as many prisoners and kill as many Thalmor as you wish. I learned the Resurrection Shouts when Alduin used them on Sahloknir, so any of my vahriinne who are killed, I will revive."

"You are a proper thur, so that goes without saying," Odahviing said calmly. "And when I spoke to the rest, they are interested in learning how it feels to be praised as well as feared. So I agree with your first priority now being the Skyguard. Initially, any dovah will carry any member of it, but you may expect pairings of compatible dovahhe and joorre to develop as they work together."

"I would be surprised if it were otherwise," Yssha said. "Very well. Shall we be off to Windhelm?"

As was becoming usual, Odahviing circled the city before landing on the causeway. By the time Yssha and her team reached the gates, people were emerging to meet the dragon, basically ignoring the team. Yssha found it both amusing and a bit of a relief. "Do you know where I can find Franken Hard-Head?" she asked one of the gate guards.

"He and his top recruits have pretty much taken over Candlehearth Hall," the guard said. "The vast majority is still out in the camps, though."

"Thank you." It was good to know the recruiting was going well, Yssha thought as they went to the inn. She couldn't remember the name of the woman behind the bar, but smiled at her. "I am looking for Franken Hard-Head. I was told he would be here - ?"

"Upstairs, in the common room," the woman told her.

"Thank you." Yssha and her team went up the stairs, finding the common room more crowded than she had expected, with most of the occupants wearing red somewhere. She looked around, but Franken hailed her first. "Ysmir! It's good to see you again!"

"And you," Yssha replied. "I am sorry to be so long getting back to you. From what I see in this room, you have had no trouble recruiting for the Skyguard."

He laughed. "Only in choosing the best, Ysmir." He grinned. "Is what you're wearing going to be our uniform?"

"The surcoat, yes, for officers; the troopers will have plain yellow embroidery, not gold." Yssha purred briefly. "What of armor? I would have you in something more sturdy than fur or leather, as quickly as possible."

"Working on it," Franken said. "Since I haven't seen you since I swore fealty, I've been using our recruits the way I thought you would, namely going after bandits and other menaces, like vampires - though we haven't had too much luck against _them_, but we try since they're getting so bad. We're replacing fur with metal as we find it, or can afford it."

"You have done well, then. The Skyguards' purpose, other than fighting the Aldmeri Dominion when the next Great War starts, is protecting those who cannot protect themselves." She paused, thinking. "I understand there are more Stormcloaks still in the war camps. Do any out in the field outrank you?"

"I doubt it. Camp commanders are officers, but relatively low-ranking. The senior officers were concentrated here in Windhelm, and unless someone's still hiding the way I was until Talos spoke, I'm the ranking survivor."

"And anyone still hiding after that would be unsuitable for the position. If you are willing to accept, I will name you commander of the Skyguard ground forces."

"I would be honored to accept, Ysmir," Franken replied. "What about the dragons? Will you command them yourself?"

Yssha shook her head. "That, I hope, will be Dovgrahaak, since Odahviing insists on the 'honor' of carrying me and my team wherever I wish to go, and I am not a real war commander. That will have to be General Tullius, here in Skyrim."

Franken nodded. "Very well, Ysmir. I'll look forward to meeting my counterparts." He paused, then changed the subject. "We'll need a headquarters, and Candlehearth Hall isn't very good in that role. Neither is anyplace else in Windhelm."

"Then it is well Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun has given us Fellglow Keep, on the condition that we clean out the rogue mages who currently inhabit it."

"I'd actually prefer some place closer to Solitude, since that's the Imperial main stronghold and Skyrim's capital, but we'll need a number of outposts, so Fellglow will make an excellent start." Franken grinned. "Dragons seem to be fine outside, even in foul weather, but we mortals need better permanent shelter than tents. How soon can we get started?"

Yssha purred. "Come with me, and we will speak with Odahviing. He is out on the Causeway, probably showing off to the children."

"I'd find that hard to believe, coming from anyone else," Franken said, accompanying her team to the causeway. But that was exactly what was going on, and he swore briefly, sounding surprised. "He really _is_ doing it!"

Then Odahviing shook himself, and ordered those around him to find shelter, quickly. His tone left no room for argument, and they ran back to the city gates.

"What is it?" Yssha called, running toward him.

"Nahagliiv approaches - one who still follows Alduin's ways. Use Dragonrend when he gets within range."

He launched himself off the edge of the causeway, then began gaining altitude as another dragon approached and began flaming. Yssha waited until she could be sure of not hitting Odahviing with it and Shouted, "Joor Zah Frul!" as she drew Dragonbane. Their foe managed to maintain enough control to aim for her, but not to remain flying or Shout, with Odahviing hot on his tail, using Fire Breath.

Odahviing pulled up just before he would have hit, landing instead while Yssha and the three with her attacked Nahagliiv. It ended quickly, and she felt the familiar push as she absorbed Nahagliiv's soul.

"What was _that_?" Nevan asked. Something glowing, leaving the dragon and sinking into the Khajiit, was totally beyond his experience.

"The Dragonborn doing something only she among mortals can do," Franken replied. "She absorbed the dragon's soul when it was killed. That's the only way they die permanently."

Nevan sighed. "Every time I think I'm getting a handle on this place, something else weird happens."

"You're not from here, that's obvious. How did you get here?"

"A student at the College of Winterhold made a mistake trying to conjure a Flame Atronach, whatever that is, and got me instead. So the Dragonborn offered me a place in her household, and I took her up on it."

"Franken, over here, please," Yssha called. "I need to introduce you to Odahviing, and he has a couple of questions."

Introductions made, Odahviing turned to Franken. "When do you want to go to Fellglow Keep, Commander, and how many men will you take?"

Franken chuckled. "As soon as the Dragonborn wants us to. Elda's being patient, but I think she'd rather have her regular customers than a bunch of former Stormcloaks. As for how many, there are twenty-three of us here, including two Battle Maidens. Those are our healers. And three of us are combat mages."

Yssha purred. "We must get you out of Elda's hair, then. How soon can you be ready to leave?"

"Give me time to tell the others and arm up, maybe half an hour max."

"Then I shall go pick seven or eight dragons to carry you," Odahviing said. He turned to Yssha. "I would recommend Dovgrahaak, my former second, as head of the Skyguard ... ah ... air wing, thuri. Shall I include him, to see if he and Commander Falken are compatible?"

"Yes, please. He is my first choice, as well."

"Good." Odahviing made his way to the causeway's wall, climbed up, and launched himself.

"I'm going to be riding a dragon," Franken said, clearly awed. "That's ... even harder to believe than a friendly dragon, but now I've actually seen one." He turned to Nevan. "You aren't the only one having your world overturned, young man. Dragons out of legend coming back to life, a real Dragonborn, another Great War coming, friendly dragons ... "

"It can be disorienting," Nevan agreed. "But at least here I can be the sort of warrior I was born to be, even if the weapons and armor are so very different. And we didn't have magic."

Franken nodded. "So you're worse off in that respect than I am. But Skyrim can be wonderful for those with a warrior's attitudes."

"I've noticed." Nevan chuckled. "That part I definitely like, and I've become pretty fond of healing magic, too."

Yssha smiled. "With twenty-three in your assault party, Franken, you will not need me. So when Odahviing returns, my team and I will go to Lakeview Manor. Feel free to visit at any time, but please expect it not to be complete for somewhat longer."

He chuckled. "Done, Ysmir. We'll secure Fellglow Keep, then get in touch, if that's all right. If we need supplies, I'm sure we can find a few bandit hideouts to scavenge from. Just talk to General Tullius about pardons as soon as you can, please."

"I shall. Now go gather your warriors, and we shall go to our respective destinations."

When Odahviing returned, Yssha asked for transport to Solitude, rather than Lakeview Manor. With the Skyguard becoming active, she really did have to get those pardons.

When she entered the Map Room, Tullius bowed to her, rather than the reverse. "Rikke has been instructing me in the way protocol works here, Ysmir," he said drily. "What can I do for you?"

Yssha returned the bow. "I need some pardons, General. Many of the former Stormcloaks are coming to my Skyguard, and it would be well if they could work with the Legion once they manage trust enough to do so."

"Really? I heard Talos, of course." He looked a bit disgruntled. "Very well, any Stormcloaks who become Skyguard are granted full pardons. The rest are on their own."

"That is fair enough," Yssha said calmly. "Once they have cleared and settled in at the headquarters Jarl Balgruuf gave us, I will introduce the commanders to you."

Tullius frowned. "A split command? Is that wise, Ysmir?"

"Normally, I would say not, but at least until dragons and humans learn to work together, it is necessary. Once they can coordinate strategy, tactics, and fighting methods, that may change, but for now, Franken Hard-Head commands the non-dragons and Dovgrahaak the dragons."

"And that's the Skyguard uniform you and Marcurio are wearing?"

Yssha nodded. "Well, it will be as the surcoats can be made, at any rate. For now, most are still in Stormcloak armor with red somewhere."

"I'll see everyone is notified," General Tullius said. "Where's this headquarters of yours?"

"Fellglow Keep, once it is secured, though I will continue to live at Lakeview Manor. Commander Franken would prefer something closer to Solitude, but I do not know of anything suitable."

The general grinned. "I do, but you can't have either one just yet. Both the Thalmor Empassy and Northwatch Keep would make a fine headquarters, but I doubt the Emperor would be pleased if you took action against either right now."

"No, he probably would not," Yssha agreed. "Oh, by the way, the Skyguard is currently financing itself and obtaining equipment by raiding bandit encampments and fortresses. Also, unless you as His Majesty's representative object, we would like to use them as better shelter for the humans than tents."

"Most bandit fortresses aren't in the best of condition," Tullius said, "but I agree, they're better long-term than tents. And I'm certainly not going to object to killing bandits, so I have no objections. Just keep me informed."

"Of course, sir. Now, if you will excuse us, I should return home."

"Feel free," Tullius said, and the team left.


	43. Under Saarthal

Chapter 43 - Under Saarthal

"You have guests, my Thane," Rayya said with a grin as Yssha and Marcurio went downstairs for the day. "An Imperial relay rider, a courier from Jarl Balgruuf, and a man in a red surcoat named Franken Hard-Head. There's also one of the dragons I first met, outside with the guard dragon."

Yssha groaned. "Invite the men in for drinks, please, while Marcurio and I visit the privy. We will go out through the north wing." Which still had a couple of unfinished walls ...

"Of course, my Thane. As soon as you have a chance to get outside. Then I'll warn Nevan."

"Thank you!"

Morning ablutions taken care of, Yssha and Marcurio re-entered their home and joined their guests. "Commander Franken - you have Fellglow secured?"

"Yes, Ysmir. Our ... uh ... dovahhe members handled the outside, and we had the numerical superiority to defeat the mages and vampires easily. Fellglow Keep is ours, and once we get it cleaned up, I'll start bringing in decent food and drink. Oh, and we found a few things that might interest you. I'll show them to you next time you visit."

"Very good! Well done, Commander. And I notice you are beginning to learn the Dovahzul."

He grinned. "It seemed like a good idea, since we'll be working so closely together. Now if you'll excuse me, Dovgrahaak and I have a few ideas we'd like to try, if we can find a bandit camp or something similar. I'll be talking to a few innkeepers for that."

"Go ahead," Yssha said. "Sell anything you cannot use. Any crimes committed against the Empire while Skyguard members were Stormcloaks have been pardoned, but I fear General Tullius was unhappy enough about that, I decided to wait before asking about any funding. And other Stormcloaks will have to earn their own pardons, if possible."

Franken left, and the other two looked at each other. "You first," the Imperal relay rider told Balgruuf's courier.

He nodded. "The Moot has been called for one week from today, Ysmir. It will be held at the Blue Palace. The other Jarls will expect your attendance."

Yssha nodded. "I will be there, of course. I am honored to be invited to attend."

When he left to return to Whiterun, she turned to the third messenger. "Yes?"

He handed her a package. "His most gracious Majesty, Emperor Titus Mede II, sends his regards, and this gift. He will be making a formal visit to Skyrim later in the year, but invites you and your husband to an audience as soon as you are able."

"We are able any time. though my team now has a third member I hope will also be welcome," Yssha said. "However, as we will be arriving on dragonback, it would be best to delay until he can be warned of that, and give orders not to shoot us down. I would be grateful, in fact, if he were to do as the Jarls here have done, and order no dragon to be attacked unless it attacks first."

The relay rider nodded. "Anyone you wish to bring will be welcome, I'm sure. It'll probably take two weeks to get that message to him, since Pale Pass is so damnably hard to get through this time of year, then a couple of days to spread the word throughout Cyrodiil and High Rock. Shall I tell him the tenth of Second Seed, then?"

That was a week after the Moot, so Yssha agreed. "Should I be at the morning or afternoon audience?"

"Morning, by preference," the rider replied. "His Majesty is eager to see you."

"We will be there," Yssha promised, then opened the package he'd given her. It held a richly-ornamented circlet, more than a tiara but not - quite - a crown. There was a letter with it, and a draft on the Imperial Treasury for half a million septims.

" Respected Dragonborn Yssha of Ysshaya," the letter began.

"Your ancestress, the Champion of Cyrodiil and Our good friend Ysshaya, assures Us that you have no interest in the Imperial throne, but as Dragonborn and conqueror of the World-Eater, you should have a material token of Our esteem and symbol of your accomplishment. The enclosed coronet seems appropriate.

"The last time We spoke with her, she was most unhappy that the Thalmor have you targeted for death, and threatened to take her Knights into Skyrim to teach them a lesson. We sent her to Elsweyr instead, to speak with the Mane. We have expressed Our extreme displeasure at the assassin threat to the Aldmeri Ambassador, which We understand he has communicated to First Emissary Elenwen as well.

"We would prefer not to sever relations with the Dominion until Skyrim has recovered from the Rebellion and Ysshaya has returned with the Mane's reaction. Keep yourself safe, Dragonborn, and know that you have Our full support for anything you feel necessary to accomplish that goal, including killing Thalmor. The enclosed Treasury draft is intended to help with that, and can be redeemed at either Castle Dour or the East Empire Company office in Solitude.

"With deepest respect, Titus Mede II"

Yssha turned to the messenger. "Will you take His Majesty a reply? You are welcome to eat and rest while I write it."

"Those were my instructions, Dragonborn, and I'll gladly take you up on your offer." He joined them at the table, and Rayya brought breakfast, along with a pen and paper for Yssha.

"Your Most Gracious Majesty,

"I thank you very much for both the coronet, which I shall wear to the Moot next week, and for the Treasury draft. That will be a great help, as I am recruiting dragons and former Stormcloaks into a Skyguard to fight alongside the Legion. They are unfortunately sworn to me personally, and that will not change for the dragons, but I hope to integrate the rest into the Legion eventually. We will be coordinating with General Tullius, and will do our training only within Skyrim until I have Your Majesty's permission to go further.

"Please give Greats-Grandmother Ysshaya my regards next time you see her.

"Your obedient subject, Legate/Dragonborn Yssha of Family and Clan Ysshaya"

She sealed it in an envelope and handed it to the messenger, then began on her own breakfast. While she ate, she thought about what to do between now and the Moot. The Skyguard were managing themselves well under Franken, and now she'd be able to pay at least the current force, thanks to the Emperor. The vampire menace was getting worse, so perhaps she should find Fort Dawnguard and speak to their leader. She couldn't actually join them, but perhaps he could point her toward a particular problem spot. Then there was Tolfdir's archaeological project, and Harbinger Kodlak's desire for the Glenmoril witch heads. Hmm. Only one of those would definitely require fighting.

She turned to Nevan. "How long before you require combat again? I have a couple of hopefully non-combat things I should do, but if your need approaches - ?"

"I fought hard enough day before yesterday," he said. "So call it four days, including today."

"That is good. Then we visit the College of Winterhold for the archaeological expedition I promised Tolfdir I would take part in. It is the least likely of those things I should do to require combat."

"Note that 'least likely' doesn't mean there won't be any," Marcurio said drily. "Any time you're outside one of the walled cities, you're at risk, if only a little in most places. And even those have non-Guild thieves and lately vampires."

"I've noticed. If this place weren't so strange, I'd like it a lot. I'm starting to anyway." Nevan grinned. "I suppose if you have vampires and the zombies you call draugr, I'm betting you have werewolves as well."

"Indeed, and one of the things I have promised to do is find and obtain the means to cure at least one of them. Giants and trolls as well."

Nevan laughed. "Yep, I'm in a LARP video game, all right."

Yssha decided against asking what he meant. Larp and video were total nonsense words, as far as she was concerned, and she probably wouldn't understand more than one word in three of his explanation, either. "Shall we go, then? I have delayed Tolfdir's expedition long enough."

Tolfdir greeted them happily when they landed at the College. "You're here for the Saarthal expedition?"

Yssha bowed. "Yes, Master Tolfdir. I apologize for so many delays."

"No need to apologize, my dear. We all know how busy you've been. Your friends will be going with us?"

"If you permit. Marcurio in particular is interested in the subject. And we believe Nevan has identified one of the curious Dwemer artifacts Calcelmo has apparently mis-identified."

"Well, this is a Nordic ruin, not Dwemer, so I doubt we will find any. Let me call the other three, and we will depart." He turned to Nevan. "Brelyna will be restricted to detection and ward spells for some time, if that's any comfort."

Nevan chuckled. "It is, Master Tolfdir. As Arch-Mage Aren said, she's powerful, but I'm proof of how erratic her control is."

It took them four hours to get to Saarthal, once the other students had assembled. Tolfdir studied them. "If all of you are ready, we will enter."

That got several replies, all positive, and he smiled, opening the door, then giving a lecture as they went down the scaffolding into the expedition. "As some of you may know, Saarthal was one of the earliest Nord settlements in Skyrim. It was also the largest. Sacked by the elves in the infamous "Night of Tears," not much is known about what happened to Saarthal. This is an exciting opportunity for us. To be able to study such an early civilization, and the magics they used ..."

"Is there anything special here?" Marcurio asked.

"We're particularly interested in the prevalence of magical seals placed on the tombs here. It's rather unlike anything we've encountered."

"Interesting." But the talk, except for student chatter, died off there, until they reached the bottom of the excavation. Then Tolfdir addressed Yssha when she asked what he wanted her to do. "Ah, yes. Hmm. Well, why don't you see if you can assist Arniel Gane? He's one of our scholars, here working on cataloging our finds. I expect he'd appreciate some help in locating any additional magical artifacts here in the ruins. Any enchanted items will do; the usefulness of the enchantment is irrelevant. If you find anything, the class can look it over."

"All right." And she went in search of him, accompanied by Marcurio and Nevan. When they found him, he didn't seem particularly happy with their help. "Ah, yes. You. I remember you. You're going to help? That's fine. Just ... Just don't make a mess of my work. I've only looked through a portion of this section. You, uh, you can look around in the chambers just north of here. Try and be careful, all right? We don't want to damage anything."

Nevan found that offensive. "You're the Dragonborn, and he's treating you like dirt!"

Yssha smiled. "He is a Master Mage, and I barely qualify as an apprentice at the College. It is his right."

"Not the way I see it, he doesn't. But we'll do it your way, for now." Nevan was unhappy with the mage, but respecting the Khajiit more and more. It was starting to look likely that eventually, he'd take Odahviing's recommendation.

In the meantime, he followed as she and Marcurio searched the area Arniel had sent them to. They found three rings with Fortify Health enchantments, then Yssha found what looked like an ancient shrine with an amulet. She took it, and a set of bars slid closed behind her. Since she was trapped, she decided to put the amulet on. These were Nordic ruins, after all, with puzzles and solutions usually fairly close together, so it wouldn't surprise her if it were part of the key to her escape.

As soon as she put it on, the wall developed a slight glow that Marcurio's fascination with history let him identify. "That's a resonance effect - those usually do whatever they're designed for if you hit 'em with some sort of targeted attack. Try a spell. Or in your case, maybe a Shout, but it won't take much."

"Flames, in that case," Yssha decided, and cast it.

Nevan laughed when the wall collapsed, revealing a passage. "Kind of a drastic way of opening a door," he said.

Tolfdir had joined them by that time. "Well, this is highly unusual. And very interesting. Why in the world would this be sealed off? What is this place?"

None of them had any idea, but they followed Tolfdir down the passage and into a small burial room. A ghostly apparition appeared as soon as Yssha entered, and spoke to her. "Hold, mage, and listen well ... Know that you have set in motion a chain of events that cannot be stopped. Judgment has not been passed, as you had no way of knowing. Judgment will be passed on your actions to come, and how you deal with the dangers ahead of you. This warning is passed to you because the Psijic Order believes in you. You, mage, and you alone, have the potential to prevent disaster. Take great care, and know that the Order is watching."

Then it vanished and Tolfdir spoke, sounding puzzled. "What just happened? I ... I felt something rather strange."

Yssha described the apparition and what it had said. "Did none of you see him?"

She got negatives from everyone, then Tolfdir said, "The Psijic Order? Are you quite sure about that? That's very odd. And danger ahead? Why, that doesn't make any sense at all. The Psijics have no connection to these ruins. And no one's seen any of their order in a long time."

"Why would the Psijic Order be contacting me, especially if they need an accomplished mage?"

"I have no idea, but it's fascinating. Assuming it's true, of course. The Isle of Artaeum disappeared over a hundred years ago, and no one has seen them since. And yet now, suddenly, they have chosen to contact you? Why, it's intriguing! If nothing else, I'd take it as a compliment. The Psijics have only ever dealt with those they feel worthy. At any rate, I think we should search the coffins here."

"I wish you hadn't said that," Marcurio said with a sigh, as the coffin lids burst off and two draugr Deathlords attacked, with the usual result. Tolfdir decided to remain and investiagate, but suggested the other three continue and explore the new section of Saarthal.

Aside from the other exit, to the next area, being through the back of one of the coffins, Saarthal proved to be one of the less complicated Nordic ruins. Complete with plenty of draugr, of course, of various types. Fighting and looting their way along, they continued exploring until Tolfdir caught up, shortly before they entered a large room dominated by a massive spinning sphere surrounded by some kind of barrier.

"Well now ... would you look at that? I never imagined we'd find something like this. Why is this buried so far within Saarthal?"

As he approached the sphere to investigate, though, an unusually powerful draugr attacked. The four weren't able to damage it until Tolfdir broke off and began attacking the energy barrier. "There, it's down!" he exclaimed. "It's down - the draugr should be vulnerable now"!

Even at three against one, the draugr was a challenging enemy, varying attacks and defenses depending on what they used. But eventually they wore it down and killed it. Looting it, they found a fragment of amulet, a note reading, ""Be bound here, Jyrik, murderer, betrayer, condemned by your crimes against realm and lord. May your name and your deeds be forgotten forever and the charm which you bear be sealed by our ward.", and the usual loot. His staff was nearby, and there was more loot, including soul gems, on the altar near his throne.

Jyrik's death had also caused the energy barrier around the orb to disappear, allowing Tolfdir to at last examine the orb more closely. The team approached him, and Yssha asked, "What do you think it is?"

I have no idea!" Tolfdir exclaimed. "This is amazing. Absolutely amazing. The Arch-Mage needs to be informed immediately. He needs to see this for himself. I don't dare leave this unattended. Can you return to the College and inform Savos Aren of this discovery? Please, hurry."

"We shall do so." Yssha looked around, seeing a door behind the sphere that probably held the traditional back door or shortcut, and the three left.

She grinned when the room at the end of the short passageway held both a Word Wall with Iiz, Ice, and a chest with respectable loot, then a passageway that led them back to Saarthal's entrance chamber. Once outside and out of sight, she took both men's hands. "It is too short a distance to call Odahviing, but I do not wish for a long slog, either. So we teleport to my Winterhold target."

Nevan just nodded as if that weren't anything to wonder at, which made _her_ wonder, but that could wait. At the target, she released their hands and began walking toward the College. "Your world has that ... not spell, you said you have no magic, so how?"

"We call it Talent - extra-sensory perception like telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, that sort of thing. It's extremely rare, maybe one person in a thousand. Telepathy's the commonest. I only know one precog, one healer, and one teleport, and all three of those are Rangers."

"Telepathy seems impossible here, but my greats-grandmother created the Teleport spell. For security reasons, we do not reveal the ability to many, and usually use it with extreme discretion. I would appreciate it if you do the same."

"Of course. I do have the telepathic Talent, but it doesn't work here, so I'd say you're right." He shrugged. "I never used it much anyway; it's too much of a violation of privacy, and you know how we feel about that. So that's one of my more minor losses."

"I am glad it does not bother you."

Faralda, on gate duty again, greeted them. "You and Marcurio I know, Dragonborn, and Nevan need not be tested since he came here by means of an error by one of our students. You may go on up."

Nevan hesitated. "I'd like to earn my way in properly. What's needed?"

"You need to prove you can cast a targeted spell. If you need one, as I believe, I'll teach you. No charge, since your presence in this world is the College's fault."

"All I know at the moment is Healing. But yes, I'd like to learn a good offensive spell."

"Hmm." Faralda thought for a moment. "From what the Arch-Mage said, you have enough magica for anything up through Master level, so there are a number I can offer you. For general use, I'd recommend something like the Adept-level Firebolt."

"That would be fine, then." Nevan accepted the spell tome she handed him, and read it. "That seems like a very useful one. Uh, that symbol there, then?"

"Yes." Faralda stepped back. "Go ahead."

Nevan used his new spell, and let out a whoop. "Super Magic Missile!" which confused Yssha. If his universe didn't have magic, how could he say such a thing?

She decided to ignore that question for the moment, and spoke to Faralda. "Thank you, Do you know if the Arch-Mage is available?"

"He should be in his study about now," Faralda replied. "Do you know where his quarters are?"

"I believe in the Hall of the Elements, opposite the Arcaneum door."

"That's right. Door's usually unlocked when he's there, so you shouldn't have a problem."

That proved true, and the three approached the Arch-Mage. He looked up and sighed. "Please don't tell me that another one of the apprentices has been incinerated. I have enough to deal with right now."

"No, Arch-Mage. We found something very peculiar in Saarthal, and Tolfdir thinks it is important. He wants you to see it."

"I'll leave right away, then. Tolfdir isn't given to exaggeration, so he's probably right. In the meantime, here's a Staff of Magelight, in case you go into any more Nordic ruins. And I'd like you to see Urag, find out if he knows anything about what you found."

Yssha bowed. "We shall, Arch-Mage." She and her team went back downstairs, and crossed the Hall of Elements to the Arcaneum entrance, then up more stairs. They approached Urag's desk, and she heard a tiny gasp from Nevan. Turning, she asked, "Have you not seen an Orsimer - an orc - before?"

"No, sir. I've heard the name, but ... this is the first one I've seen."

"Urag gro-Shub," the librarian introduced himself. "You'd be Brelyna's mistake, hmm? I won't bother with my usual lecture, then; you wouldn't understand the threat. Just don't damage the books, understand?"

"Of course, Librarian." Nevan bowed. "Nevan darLeras. I'm honored to make your acquaintance."

"Mmm." Urag turned to Yssha, satisfied. "What can I do for you, Dragonborn?"

"I need to learn about what we found in Saarthal."

"I know what you want. Word travels fast around here. Discovered some big mystery, huh? Well you don't even need to ask. No, I don't have anything for you. Not anymore, anyway."

"Do you have anything that might help?"

"I said not any more. Orthorn stole a number of books when he ran off to Fellgow Keep to join those Summoners. Some kind of peace offering. I think one of those volumes may have had some relevant information. If you want them, you'll have to talk to Orthorn."

Well, well, well, Yssha thought in amusement. Franken and his men had secured Fellglow, and the books could well be among the things he thought might interest her.


	44. Serana

**Author's Note:**

**Guest: She was raised in Cyrodiil, among mostly humans, so her speech patterns are human. She only uses Khajiit patterns when she's being super-formal, since they aren't natural for her.**

**Willow: EESH-ah. Greats-Grandmother is eesh-AY-ah.**

Yssha went out after breakfast to greet the dragon on guard, this one a brown fire dragon, one of the "lesser" ones, huge as even those were. "I do not believe I have seen you before. May I know your name?"

"I am Ahkrinbo, thuri Dovahkiin," he replied. "It feels like it should be a fine day for anything you may have planned. You might be interested to know that we of your Skyguard have begun forming teams of one dovah and however many that one can comfortably carry. I am relatively small, so my team is three Brunne, but some can carry as many as five. Or more, if the smaller joor races begin to join."

"That is wonderful news, especially this early," Yssha said. "I had not expected this."

Ahkrinbo snorted a laugh. "The Brunne who join us are eager fighters, and most of us sworn to you are beginning to find admiration even more exhilarating than terror. It is a very strange feeling, after so many, many centuries of the opposite. Some are even beginning to compete for it."

Yssha purred. "It is enjoyable, yes, but it can become overwhelming, as well. At least if you are like me."

"That would be difficult for the winged dovah," Ahkrinbo said, gaping a grin. "You are far more modest than the average dovah, you know, despite your accomplishments."

Yssha cocked her head. "You see that as a fault?"

"Not at all, thuri! You just leave more for us to enjoy. And some joorre have begun trading with us, a wonderful fat cow for two or three boring elk or a few deer. Or bring them a troll or giant, perhaps. And they think they are getting the better of the bargain. Meyye."

Yssha found it hard to control her mirth. "Not fools at all, considering the effort they must expend to do the same, when it is even possible. A domesticated animal is much easier for joorre to deal with, you know, where trolls and giants are almost impossible for the average one. Just do not eliminate them, for they also have their places in Mundus."

"We never over-hunt," Ahkrinbo said, sounding almost insulted. "That would displease our Father Akatosh, as you should know. But it is good to exchange our usual prey for something delicious that we are now forbidden to hunt."

"Ah, thank you for the explanation. Bormahu has not yet seen fit to give me that sort of information." She purred. "Next time you have duty, feel free to bring your team along, if they wish."

"It would be well. You have a den of bandits in the Pinewatch house nearby, if you did not know. My team could use some indoor experience, and they can do that while I guard your house."

"No, I did not know, probably because none would come here with construction going on. And for your services, I will allow your team all the normal loot they find - I would like anything unusual, and will pay for it. For you, a beef steer. But not my milch cow or her calf; those I need."

"Agreed, Dovahkiin." Ahkrinbo settled in. "I shall ask for guard duty here again, as soon as I am allowed."

Yssha went back inside, to join her own team and get geared up. She was sure she could've gotten Ahkrinbo and his team to do the job for nothing, but that wouldn't have been right, and she could easily afford to lose one bandit den's worth of loot, and a steer.

"What're our plans for today?" Marcurio asked.

"I would like to speak with the Dawnguard leader, Isran," Yssha replied. "I think it would be good to at least know him and his capabilities before the next war, and if he is willing to work together against menaces other than vampires. I am hoping Odahviing knows where Fort Dawnguard is, because I do not."

"I'd be surprised if he doesn't know everyplace in Skyrim that existed before he was killed," Marcurio said.

Nevan shook his head. "Of all the strange things about this place - and gods know there're a lot of them - I think that's the strangest. One of our religions worships a man who was resurrected, but he's supposed to be the actual, direct son of their god."

"So are all with the dragonsoul," Yssha said. "Though the non-dov with it are mortal, and I know of none who have been resurrected. You know Akatosh is the head of our Nine Divines?"

"Yes - Marcurio told me."

"He is our Father - in my case, soul-father only - but many if not most of the winged dovahhe have been his direct creation. Some are born physically, like we mortals, but even there, the soul is directly from Akatosh. You may well see such a resurrection, or perhaps resurrections."

"I'll still think it's strange, but given everything else I've seen here ... well, I can't say it would really surprise me."

Yssha was armored and armed by then, so she went outside and called Odahviing. After greetings, she asked him if he knew Fort Dawnguard.

"Yes. It is an ancient fort southeast of Riften. It was near ruin for some time, but it has been being reconstructed the last few years, and at least on the outside, it is almost back to its old self. That is where you want to go this morning?"

"Yes, please. I wish to speak to their leader."

"Then mount, and we go."

When they landed, Yssha had to admit she was impressed with the huge fort, and a bit envious that Isran had taken it for his Dawnguard. It would have been perfect for her Skyguard, with its high battlements and large open area in front. As they dismounted, Odahving said, "I am hungry, so I will be hunting. Call me when you are ready to leave."

When Yssha and her team were admitted to the large, circular entryway, they found a Redguard in an unfamiliar type of armor arguing with a Nord wearing the garb of a Vigilant of Stendarr.

"Why are you here, Tolan?" the armored man asked. "The Vigilants and I were finished long ago."

The Vigilant sighed. "You know why I'm here; the Vigilants are under attack everywhere. The vampires are much more dangerous than we believed."

"And now you want to come running to safety with the Dawnguard, is that it? I remember Keeper Carcette telling me repeatedly that Dawnguard is a crumbling ruin, not worth the expense and manpower to repair. And now that you've stirred up the vampires against you, you come begging for my protection?"

"Isran, Carcette is dead. The Hall of Vigilants ... everyone ... they're all dead. You were right, we were wrong. Isn't that enough for you?"

"Yes, well ... I never wanted any of this to happen. I tried to warn all of you ... I am sorry, you know."

Then he noticed Yssha and her party. "So who are ... oh. Greetings, Dragonborn Ysmir. What do you want here?"

"Primarily to meet you and find out if we can cooperate, your group and mine, but I did not intend to interrupt. We can speak when you and Vigilant Tolan are finished."

"Cooperate with you, Dragonborn? Of course, but I'm afraid we can't be much help at the moment; we have problems of our own, and I don't have enough men to send one into the field to take care of it."

"Perhaps we can provide the first help to your group, then, if you would be interested?"

He looked surprised at that, but didn't hesitate to call the Vigilant over. "Tolan, tell her about, what was it, Dimhollow?"

"Yes, that's it, Ysmir. Dimhollow Crypt. Brother Adalvald was sure it held some long-lost vampire artifact of some kind. We didn't listen to him any more than we did Isran. He was at the Hall when it was attacked ..."

"That's good enough for me," Isran said. "Would you go see what the vampires were looking for in this Dimhollow Crypt? With any luck, they'll still be there."

"I'll meet you at Dimhollow, Ysmir," Tolan said. "It's the least I can do to avenge my fallen comrades."

Isran shook his head. "Tolan, I don't think that's a good idea. You Vigilants were never trained for..."

Tolan interrupted. "I know what you think of us. You think we're soft, that we're cowards. You think our deaths proved our weakness. Stendarr grant that you do not have to face the same test and be found wanting. I'm going to Dimhollow Crypt. Perhaps I can be of some small assistance to you."

"Best you remain here," Yssha advised. "My team and I are used to working with each other, and another who is not will be a hindrance rather than a help."

"You may be right," Tolan admitted. "We try not to interfere with established teams for the same reason. I just hate having to let someone else fight a battle I think should be mine."

"Understandable," Yssha said, then turned to Isran. "From what Odahviing told me, you have done a remarkable job of restoration here. I must give him time to hunt and eat, so would you mind showing us around?"

"Who or what is Odahviing?" Isran asked. "Shouldn't you be on the way to Dimhollow?"

It was Nevan who grinned and replied. "Odahviing's a friend of hers, the dragon who provides our transport. We could go by ground and take forever, or ride him and be there in minutes."

"So the rumors are true." Isran's grin was fierce. "I'll show you around, and invite you to eat if you're hungry."

"Thank you, but we just finished breakfast. The tour would be welcome, though."

It was as large inside as it had looked from the outside, so the complete tour took nearly an hour. When they were done, Yssha decided Odahviing had probably finished, so the whole group went outside and she summoned him.

As usual with people who had never been close to a dragon before, his approach and landing got gasps of awe, and a few of fear, but none of these ran. "Where to, my Overlord?" he asked.

Yssha hid a grin. He was becoming quite a character, and she rather liked the effect on spectators. "Dimhollow Crypt, please. We have some vampires to slay, it seems."

Odahviing nodded, extending a wing, then turned to Isran as the team mounted. "You are known to us, Dawnguard. We wish you good hunting. Should you need Skyguard assistance, fly a red flag."

He took off as soon as his riders were settled, and minutes later, they were landing at Dimhollow Crypt. It wasn't particularly impressive, especially after Fort Dawnguard, but it was their current job, so the team entered. Almost as soon as they entered a cavern the original narrow entry passage opened out to, they found two vampires and a Death Hound. Those weren't a problem, but a barred gate blocking their way was, until Marcurio found a tower on the far side of the cavern with some loot and a pull chain that opened the gate.

All in all, Yssha decided, it was a fairly standard dungeon run. A few enemies, a couple of puzzles, and a lot of walking. Not much loot from here, either, though they did pick up an enchanted sword and a couple of soul gems.

That opinion changed when they entered a cavern where they stood on a balcony overlooking a circular structure she thought looked much like a temple, and heard a vampire interrogating what sounded like a Vigilant. She went into stealth mode, followed by the other two, and crept down the steps to the lower level. By the time they got there, though, the Vigilant was dead, and Lokil and the other vampire were heading down to the temple-like area.

Yssha sighed, following them. "Be ready," she whispered to the other two. It was probably a useless precaution, but it made her feel better.

Nevan, almost ghost-quiet, had his dagger out and crept up behind Lokil. Almost faster than Yssha could follow, he covered the vampire's mouth and nose with his hand, then stabbed him just above his belt. After a few seconds, he cut the vampire's throat and it turned to dust.

She would have to learn that technique, she decided immediately. Lokil had gone down immediately, with not even a hint of a cry to alert his companion or thrall!

The other vampire and Lokir's thrall died as well, but not as swiftly or quietly, and she went to the pillar in the center of the temple-like area. It had a button on it, which wasn't too promising, but she took a deep breath, put her hand on it, and pushed.

Then she let out a loud yowl as a spike drove up through her hand. When it retracted, she cast Healing on herself, and only then noticed purple light had appeared in one of the troughs around the central area. That seemed to be all the button had done, so there was obviously something else necessary. Maybe the brazier in the lit-up trench moved?

She tried that, and it moved easily until it reached the right spot and came alight. That lit up another trench, and she did the same with its brazier. After that, it was just a matter of working her way around the circle, moving braziers as their trenches lit up.

when the last one was in place, the center of the circular area descended, revealing a stone monolith. Moments later, a woman with an Elder Scroll strapped on her back emerged, and Marcurio gaught her before she fell.

The woman looked around "Unh ... where is ... who sent you here?"

"A man named Isran," Yssha replied.

"I ... don't know who that is. Is he ... like me?"

Yssha looked at her more closely. The woman concealed it well, but ... "Are you a - "

The woman sighed. "Vampire, yes. But I won't hurt you; after all, you just rescued me."

"Why were you locked away like this?" Yssha asked curiously.

"That's ... complicated," the woman replied. "And I'm not totally sure if I can trust you. But if you want to know the whole story, help me get back to my family's home."

"Where do you need to go?"

My family used to live on an island to the west of Solitude. I would guess they still do. By the way, my name is Serana. Good to meet you."

"Likewise. I am Yssha, of Clan and Family Ysshaya, also called Dragonborn. This is my husband Marcurio, and the third member of my team is Nevan darLeras of a distant plane, brought here by a conjuring accident."

"Let's get out of here," Serana suggested. "I need to find out what's going on, such as how long I've been locked away here."

"Well, this is the 202nd year of the Fourth Era," Marcurio said. "Titus Mede II is Emperor, though there's not much left of the Empire since the Great War."

"Empire?" Serana asked in obvious surprise. "What Empire?"

"The Tamrielic Empire, though at the moment, it's down to Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Skyrim. Why?"

"Because I don't know anything about any Empire. I must have been in there a long time."

"A very long time," Marcurio agreed. "St. Alessia's conquest of Tamriel started in 1E 243, and with a few short breaks, there's been an Empire ever since. You'd know it from history, if nothing else."

"How long is that?"

"Uh, roughly 4200 years," Marcurio said.

Serana sighed as they crossed a small stone bridge. "I see I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do."

"We are already explaining many things to Nevan, so if you wish to travel with us, we could explain to both of you at the same time. Ah, are you familiar with dragons?"

"Not really," Serana replied. "They weren't interested in vampires, and we returned the favor. They were having a war with the humans, though, when I was sealed away. Why?"

Yssha didn't have time to reply before they were attacked, this time by what appeared to be stone statues. They were as tough as stone, too, and Yssha was happy when Serana joined the battle, using mostly Ice Spike spells. When the creatures shattered, they yielded gems and minerals, rather than the more usual loot of arms and armor.

They took a brief break in the next room after searching it - the spell tome Necromantic Healing might be very useful - and Yssha said, "Late Merethic Era, then, during the Dragon Wars. The humans won, their leader Alduin was banished into time, and the rest scattered. All but a couple were killed, and by the time I was born, it was mostly believed they were completely extinct."

"But Alduin came back," Marcurio said, continuing the narrative. "He started resurrecting dragons, and until Yssha and I - with some help - destroyed him, the dragons were trying to take over again. Once that happened, some of the dragons decided to take up the peaceful Way of the Voice, quite a few of them have sworn fealty to her with more coming in every day, and some are keeping to their old ways."

"That's quite a bit to take in all at once," Serana commented. "But can we keep going? I need to get back to my family."

Everyone was rested and healed, so Yssha nodded, and they left through the room's other door. along a corridor and up some steps, to the top of what looked like a large amphitheater. There were a few draugr and skeletons wandering around, so the group took care of them before Yssha made her way to a Word Wall. This one was Gaan, Stamina, part of Drain Vitality. And as usual, there was treasure nearby: a chest, some loose coins, a glass sword, and an elven dagger. "Would you like either of these?" she asked Serana.

"The sword, please." She took it, and the group left by the passage opposite where they'd come in, emerging into an overcast afternoon. "Do you need a place to stay?" Yssha asked. "I have a home in Falkreath Hold called Lakeview Manor, and the Skyguard I lead has its headquarters at Fellglow Keep. I actually have houses in all holds, but most are sparsely furnished as yet."

"What about this Isran, who sent you to find me?"

"More precisely, he asked me to find out what the vampires were looking for in Dimhollow Crypt. He is the head of the Dawnguard, an order of vampire hunters. I am not sure that would be the best place for you."

Serana smiled slightly, keeping her lips closed. "In that case, probably not. All right, I'll accept your hospitality."

"I would appreciate it if you would attack only those who attack you first," Yssha said. "Divines know there are plenty of those to keep you fed!"

Serana laughed. "Easily, and that's how I prefer it anyway. A holdover from my human days, something the others consider a weakness."

"You will find we consider it a strength, as we consider the same restraint from the dragons sworn to me. It is difficult to overcome such drives."

"Then you're more understanding than my own kind." Serana's voice held a touch of bitterness. "Can we go now?"

"Surely." Yssha called Odahviing, who arrived as promptly as usual. "Odahviing, this is Serana. If you are willing to carry her, we need to take her to her home on an island northwest of Solitude."

Odahviing studied Serana, then turned to Yssha. "She is sosnaak, a vampire. No danger to me, but she is to you and yours."

"Not really," Serana said. "I've promised her not to attack anyone who doesn't attack me first, as she says you have. I keep my word."

"Then since Dovahkiin wishes it, I will carry you. Four will fit."

"You seemed worried about weight when we added Nevan," Yssha reminded him.

Odahviing snorted a laugh. "Weight? No. None of you weigh more than a feather, compared to my mass. The limiting factor is size, yes, because only so many can fit on a given dovah's neck. Four your size is no problem for me."

He extended a wing, and Yssha showed Serana how to mount, then cautioned, "Brace yourself. Taking off from the ground involves a powerful leap."

Moments later, they landed in front of a large, if rather dilapidated, castle and dismounted. A cobblestone bridge led up to the castle. Shortly before they reached the doors, Serana said, "Let me do the talking at first, okay? This could start out a little bit touchy."

"All right. We will remain silent unless directly addressed."

"That should do it."

When they got to the door, the watchman stopped her, until he recognized Serana. Then he called for the doors to be opened, and moved toward a balcony wall as they entered. "My Lords! My Ladies! The Lady Serana has returned!"

Serana turned briefly and grinned at the team, then descended the stairs to the main floor, with them following.

The "man" on the throne at the head of the hall stood. "My long-lost daughter returns at last. I trust you have my Elder Scroll?"

Serana looked disgruntled. "After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll."

He smiled. "Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud? Ah, if only your traitor mother were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike. Now tell me, who are these strangers you have brought into our hall?"

"The Khajiit is my savior, the one who freed me. The others are her companions."

He smiled at Yssha, fangs showing. "For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Yssha of Family and Clan Ysshaya. I am also known as Dovahkiin."

"And I am Harkon, lord of this court. By now, my daughter will have told you what we are."

"It was not necessary; I recognized her condition. You are vampires."

"Not just vampires," Harkon corrected. "We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in Skyrim."

"Ah." Yssha didn't like the way this was going, but remained polite. "What happens now?"

Harkon smiled. "You have done me a great service, and now you must be rewarded. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter. I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again."

"And if I refuse your gift?" If what she understood from Serana was correct, he wouldn't understand what a Dragonborn was, since there hadn't been any in his time. Or ... maybe he would, not having been in stasis as Serana had. "For I must, being Dragonborn."

He roared at that. "Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your life this once, but you will be banished from this hall. Perhaps you still need convincing? Behold the power! This is the power that I offer!"

He changed, into a repulsive winged figure, and Yssha shuddered.

"No. That would revolt my vahriinne, as it does me."

"So be it! You are prey, like all mortals. I banish you!"

With that, she vanished from the castle, and reappeared on the far shore, with Marcurio and Nevan.

"Well, that was ... interesting," the Sandeman said. "What now?"

"Now? We return home and wait to see what Serana does. She knows where we live, and should have no trouble finding it, even if she has to ask directions. Powerful vampires - and the ones we saw are certainly that - can fly when they wish. Not as fast as a dragon, but far faster than ground travel."

Nevan gave her a resigned look. "Let me guess. They turn into bats, like some of our fictional ones did."

"Yes. That bothers you?"

"No, it's more amusing than anything else. Of course, some could also turn into mist."

"I have never heard anything about that particular ability," Yssha said. "Let us go home now, since there is nothing more we can do here."


	45. Insight

Chapter 45 - Insight

It was still five days until the Moot, and Yssha had no particular desire to fight anything for a few days - though Nevan would need combat at least once more before then - so she decided on a quick trip to Fellglow Keep, possibly followed by one to Solitude.

Nevan's surcoat had been delivered the previous day, so all three were in Skyguard colors when Yssha called Odahviing and requested transport to Fellglow Keep. As they approached, she was glad to see that aside from a few scorch marks, the walls appeared undamaged. Dragons and Nords were outside, one group of Nords in various mixtures of Stormcloak and metal armor, all with red somewhere, along with dragons, were in mock combat with another group of just Nords with yellow armbands or scarves.

They landed as close to the Keep as possible without disrupting the practice, then asked around until they found Franken on the catwalk, watching the action below and making notes. He looked up as they approached, and smiled. "Good greetings, Ysmir. What do you think?"

"That this partnership seems to be working out better than I had dared to hope," she replied.

"A lot better than I'd thought possible when you mentioned working with dragons, but with Talos giving you a mission and the dragons having sworn fealty to you, both men and dovahhe are eager to please. Oh, there's some grumbling, of course, but I'd be worried if there weren't. I've got a basic staff together, and the troops are sorting out their own teams. We could use some logistics support the way we're growing, but we're managing for now with clearing out bandit dens, selling loot, and collecting bounties. A few giant and rogue dragon kills, too. We've saved the scales and bones those dropped for you, since we don't have anyone who can work with them. Oh, and when we cleared this place, we found some books you might be able to use."

"Thank you. I appreciate both, and have some news for you, as well. Most immediately important, His Majesty sent me a draft on the Imperial Treasury for half a million septims, to help improve my safety. That, I think, is best done by helping to finance the Skyguard."

"Divines, yes!" Franken exclaimed with a wide grin. "My quartermaster will be delighted. That'll make a lot of differenece in our armor procurement, at the very least. And in making the living quarters more comfortable."

"Then shall we go to Solitude and redeem the draft? He will also need to talk to Taarie at Radiant Raiment about uniforms, since she is coordinating seamstresses througout Skyrim for them."

"Let me get the scales, bones, and books for you, then find Harald." He called to a dragon nearby. "Fusmulgar, would you please call Dovgrahaak for me?"

"Certainly, Commander." The dragon did so, and Franken went down into the Keep.

The voice was ... Yssha couldn't quite identify the difference. Perhaps lighter in tone? She hesitated. "Your voice is not the same as other dovah I have spoken to," she said.

Fusmulgar gaped a grin. "You are not the only female dovah, Dovahkiin. There are fewer of us than of the males, but I am one such."

"Ah, that makes sense, then. I am sure Farengar would love to talk to and study you - he is more than a little obsessed with dov."

Fusmulgar cocked her head. "Who is this Farengar, and where is he? It would probably be wise for the Brunne to learn more about us, since we will be working together."

"He is the court mage to Jarl Balgruuf, at Dragonsreach," Yssha told her. "I agree with you, but I must warn you, Farengar's enthusiasm can be overwhelming."

"I will visit him when I am off duty," Fusmulgar said. "If I find him objectionable, I will simply not visit him again."

"Reasonable," Yssha agreed, then went back to the Keep's courtyard and outside to where Odahviing and Dovgrahaak were waiting. A few minutes later, Franken joined them, handing Yssha a package, then he introduced the man with him as his quartermaster, Harald of Kynesgrove.

Before they mounted, Yssha suggested Dovgrahaak land in the Castle Dour training area, while Odahviing used his usual area outside the gates. She would join them as soon as she could get there, to introduce her commanders to General Tullius. When they agreed, the five mounted their respective dragons and took off.

When Yssha got to the training area, she chuckled to see a couple of troopers hauling Tullius's map table outside, since it was rather obvious one of her commanders couldn't get inside. Tullius and Rikke were beside the door, probably waiting for introductions. Nords weren't usually that formal, but the initial meeting between senior commanders was undoubtedly an exception. She joined the Imperials. "It is good to see you again, General Tullius, Legate Rikke."

"And you, Ysmir," Tullius replied. "I gather these are your commanders, but I was expecting two, not three. I also gather you're here to cash that Treasury draft, but I don't have that much cash on hand."

The map table was in place, and both groups gathered around it. Yssha made the introductions, then things got down to business.

"We don't need cash as much as equipment and supplies," Harald said. "We'll happily take most of that draft in that form, and not all at once. What we need most is better armor, surcoats for identification, and fresh food."

"That would make things easier, definitely," Tullius said. "Why don't you talk to Beirand, just outside the castle, about armor?"

Harald nodded. I'll do that, then Ysmir says I should see Taarie at the Radiant Raiment about uniforms. If the rest of you will excuse me, I'll get to work."

When he left, Tullius studied Franken and Dovgrahaak. "What kind of combat are you training for?"

"Our main difference from the Legions is mobility," Franken replied, "so we're training as a rapid-response force - basically airborne light infantry - and scouts as well, of course."

"And we are air cover and close air support, as well as transport," Dovgrahaak added. "Until melee becomes so tangled it is difficult to use our normal attacks without endangering our own people, then we join in with tooth and claw." He turned to Yssha. "You saw an example of our training for that earlier."

Tullius looked relieved. "I must say I can see a number of advantages to that kind of force," he agreed. "What about mages and healers?"

"Healers we have, since most of our Battle Maidens are joining the Skyguard. But you must know the Nord attitude about magic, so we have very few of those."

"That will have to change," Yssha said. "We are going to need precise ranged attacks other than bows, which are difficult to fire from dragonback. I am sure that can be learned, since some are good with them on horseback, but that will take some time to learn. Bear in mind, too, that Marcurio, Nevan and I are all mages."

Franken looked dubious. "We'll try to convince the men, of course, but it may be as slow as teaching dragonback archery. The dislike is pretty ingrained."

"Do your best on both. That is all that can be expected."

"It may not be as bad as you think, Commander," Tullius said. "You know we have a lot of Nords in the Legions, especially here in Skyrim. They usually get to like having battlemages around after the first couple of battles where they have to fight beside them."

"That's good to know," Franken said, "But that doesn't do anything about how few we have to provide that exposure."

Tullius grinned. "We've been told to work together by a Divine, so I'll assign a few to the Skyguard on detached duty. Your people may not like it, but since refusing to work with them would be defying Talos Himself ... "

Franken chuckled. "That's a damn good point, General. Okay, if you can assign me two or three, that'll double what I have, and I'll be able to make it a point to send them out on every combat mission. Speaking of which, given dragon speed and the way teams are forming, I'll be able to start sending out province-wide patrols in a few days. You know about the red signals?"

Tullius nodded. "I think pretty much everyone does, now. I'll fly one when I have the detached-duty mages ready to go."

"Fly it also if you wish to come to Fellglow Keep," Dovgrahaak said. "You should observe our training so you can plan how best we can work together."

"That doesn't sound much like what I know about dragons," Tullius said. "That willingness to help my kind, that is."

"It was not, under Alduin," Dovgrahaak said calmly. "Under him, we ruled and were feared. The masterless ones still wish that. But those of us who acknowledge Dovahkiin as our overlord - a number that grows every day - have discovered that admiration is every bit as heady as terror. Speaking as one who has lived with both, I prefer freely-given admiration to imposed terror. Which is very strange."

He paused, clearly thinking. No one interrupted, and it was minutes before he shook himself and continued. "I ... this is difficult to explain. Bormahu has allowed me an ... understanding? Insight?

"It seems we are strongly influenced by our thur, our overlord," he said slowly. "Alduin was Bormahu's firstborn, and much like Him at first. But over the centuries he changed, becoming greedy and developing a lust for power, so we did as well. That influence lasted even during his absence, which led to our deaths.

"Shortly before his return, Bormahu decided to end Alduin's corruption, and created Dovahkiin in His own image, but a mortal form. When she and her fellows defeated Alduin on his own terms, she became our overlord by the rights we had come to expect. Now ... we are slowly becoming more like her. She has no desire to dominate, so we are losing ours. She enjoys helping others, so we are developing that, as well." He gave the impression of a rueful smile. "It seems we are returning to what Bormahu intended. Powerful guardians of His other children, rather than predators on them. We and you both needed to know, so He spoke." He paused. "I believe, but cannot be sure, that Bormahu told the others as well, if only to let us know why we suddenly feel so different."

Yssha gulped. She had asked the Greybeards what her destiny was, but they didn't know, and said she would have to find it for herself. Now it seemed she knew. And it was not a bad destiny at all, she thought. There could have been far worse.

"Who is Bormahu?" Tullius asked softly.

"You know him as Akatosh," Dovgrahaak said, equally softly. "He has given you a great gift, joor. You should appreciate it."

Tullius bowed to him. "We do, Dovgrahaak. We most certainly do. But will this change affect those not sworn to her, or prevent the Great War so many of us anticipate?"

The dovah snorted laughter. "Not even Bormahu knows the answer to your first question, General. He gave us free will, just as He did you, so they might continue as predators. But the war, no. That is something we can handle for ourselves, so the Divines will not intervene. Any more than They intervene against bandits, or other such threats. You understand, I am sure."

"Yes, I do. And truly, I'm glad of it. I'd hate feeling like a puppet."

Dovgrahaak nodded. "So feel no hesitation calling on the Skyguard, General. We will respond as we are able."

"Good enough." Tullius smiled. "And I'll have my quartermaster corps inventory our stores. I gather you'll mostly want light armor and weaponry?"

"That will depend on the individual," Dovgrahaak said. "It does not matter to us dovah, so heavy armor and weapons should be included as well."

Harald re-entered the castle, hauling a double armload of gear, and grinning widely. "Commander, look at this! Armor and uniforms both, though some of the uniforms lack embroidery. But they're still better than armbands or scarves!"

Yssha chuckled as Franken smiled and said, "Load me up, Harald, and Dovgrahaak will take us home. Then I've got a story to share with you and the rest."

Once they had left, Yssha turned to Tullius and Rikke. "That was ... unexpected. Will you excuse me, so I may go home and try to understand that ... that my vahrinne somehow absorb my attitudes? I think I need some wine."

Tullius shooed her away. "Of course you do. Go, and get some rest, Legate!"

"Yes, sir." Still half in a daze, Yssha made her way down through the city and out the gate, to where Odahviing was waiting, surrounded by his now-usual entourage. He shooed them away, and Yssha and her team mounted. "Home, please," she sighed.

Odahviing looked back at her, then took off, more gently than usual, and flew slowly to Lakeview Manor. When she dismounted, he looked at her again. "You will be well, thuri, and it is good to know why I now feel like I did when I was much younger. But the sosnaak waits within, so be cautious."


	46. The Moth Priest

Chapter 46 - Prophet

By the next morning, Yssha had, at least mostly, come to terms with Dovgrahaak's revelation that the dragons sworn to her were returning to their original role as protectors and helpers. She didn't know how, or if it would have happened anyway, perhaps more slowly, with Alduin's influence gone, but no one who'd dealt with a dovahvakhriin could deny it was happening.

She'd had some strange dreams of a city built with dragons in mind, beautiful, with dragons perched on tall towers above more human-sized homes and other buildings. Unfortunately she couldn't remember details, and had no idea if it was something that had existed ages ago or something that might exist in the future.

She snuggled next to Marcurio for a few more moments, then reluctantly got out of bed and dressed, going through her usual routine while she waited for the rest to wake up. She and Rayya were usually up half an hour earlier than Marcurio and Nevan, sharing a cup of tisane before breakfast, and that was the case today as well, though she found Serana was up, as well.

"I am sorry I had to put you off yesterday," Yssha apologized. We must still wait for Marcurio and Nevan, so you will not have to repeat yourself, but at least I will be able to concentrate today."

"That's all right," Serana said. "It was obvious something had shaken you, and you probably weren't expecting to see me again. I stocked up on my version of trail rations, then decided I'd better leave before my father did ... anything rash. And I had to get the Elder Scroll away from him."

Yssha wanted to ask about that, but doing so would just force Serana to repeat, so she waited until after breakfast. Then she said, "Now, is there anything we can do for you?"

"Maybe. That's why I needed to talk to you. It's important, so please just listen. It's ... well, it's about me. And the Elder Scroll that was buried with me."

"What about you?" Yssha asked.

"The reason I was down there ... and why I had the Elder Scroll. It all comes back to my father. I'm guessing you figured this part out already, but my father's not exactly a good person. Even by vampire standards. He wasn't always like that, though. There was ... a turn. He stumbled onto this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it."

"What do you mean ... 'lost himself'? Marcurio asked.

"He just became absorbed ... obsessed. It was kind of sick, actually. The prophecy said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. For someone who fancies himself as vampire royalty, that's pretty seductive. Anyway, my mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war with all of Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was sealed away with the Scroll. That's what he's after. He wants to control the sun, have vampires control the world."

"It is good that you came here," Yssha said. "But why would they no longer need to fear the sun?"

"Because according to the prophecy, there's a way to actually put it out."

"But that would kill everything on this planet, including eventually the vampires!" Nevan protested.

"That was what my mother and I tried to tell Father, but he wouldn't listen. Look, we need to find out what's in this Elder Scroll. It may have something to tell us about how to stop my father and his plans."

"Why not just read it?" Nevan asked.

"Because I can't," Serana said. "Only the Moth Priests can read them, and I have no idea where to find one."

"Let us go outside, so I can call Dovgrahaak. The Skyguard has not started formal patrols yet, but it is possible someone saw something helpful while hunting."

When he arrived and they asked about a Moth Priest, he shrugged. "I know nothing about Moth Priests, but there is a man in scholar's robes wandering through Skyrim, escorted by some soldiers. We noticed him because he seems too old to be traveling the way he is, like he is searching for something, so we have been keeping an eye on him. He was reported in Dragon Bridge last evening."

"Thank you," Yssha said. "That is at least a possibility we can check out." When Dovgrahaak left, she called Odahviing, and they went to Dragon Bridge. Asking around, they learned the scholar actually was a Moth Priest, and he'd recently headed south across the bridge the town was named for.

They didn't have a destination, so Odahviing flew ahead to scout, while the rest followed on foot. Seconds later, Odahviing roared, stooping down for an attack, and the rest began running. When they reached him, they found an overturned wagon with dead guards and a dead vampire, plus an unhappy dragon. "I regret I was too late, thuri," Odahviing said. "The old man was being dragged into the cave up there when I arrived. I did kill two of the kidnappers, but the rest escaped." He radiated disgust. "Follow the blood trail, and you will find it easily."

Yssha took time to search the vampire, and found a note naming where the Moth Priest was to be taken, Forebears' Holdout, and who had ordered the kidnapping, Malkus. Not particularly helpful, but interesting. She and her team, plus Serana, followed the blood trail Odahviing had pointed out.

Inside the cave, they found themselves on a balcony, looking across a river to a small fortress. Yssha scanned the area as she'd been taught, then moved down a set of steps and toward a bridge across the river. They were attacked by a pair of Death Hounds. After they'd dealt with those, they went into stealth mode, crossed the bridge, and found the entrance to the fortress. It was nice having a team and extra who were all good at stealth, Yssha tought, because it was much easier to eliminate enemies who didn't notice you. She reminded herself again to get Nevan to teach her what he called a "sentry take-down" when he used it again. but then they were nearing a platform where Malkus was tormenting the Moth Priest, who was inside an energy shell.

"The more you fight me, the more you will suffer, mortal."

The priest was gasping, not too surprising given his apparent age. "I will resist you, monster. I must!"

Malkus was gloating. "How much longer can you keep this up, Moth Priest? Your mind was strong, but you're exhausted from the struggle."

The priest's voice grew weaker, but he still fought. "Must ... resist ..."

Malkus' voice became soft and persuasive, now. "Yes, I can feel your defenses crumbling. You want it to end. You want to give in to me. Now, acknowledge me as your master!"

"Yes, master." The priest knelt, and Yssha snarled. That was no way to treat a holy man!

She snuck up behind Malkus and struck. He went down with a surprised sound, and she searched him, hoping to find something to release the priest from the shell he was trapped in. She found an odd-looking stone, and began searching for a matching receptacle. There were times she missed the simplicity of Nordic ruins, and this was one, because it took her several minutes before she went up a set of stairs. Once there, she continued searching, and found a depression on a pedestal a few more steps up that looked to match the stone.

She inserted it, and yes, the barrier dropped - but the priest's reaction wasn't what she had hoped. Instead of calming, he became hostile.

"I serve my master's will. But my master is dead, and his enemies will pay!"

Oblivion! Yssha thought, then she called, "Subdue, don't harm if you can help it!"

She descended, to obey her own orders. It was hard, far harder than fighting all-out, and it took longer, as well, but eventually she brought him to his knees, yielding. She waited, wondering if he were going to attack again, until he struggled to his feet and faced her. "That ... that wasn't me you were fighting. I could see through my eyes, but I could not control my actions. Thank you for breaking that foul vampire's hold over me."

"It was my pleasure." Not exactly, but she wanted to be polite. "Are you all right?"

"I'm quite fine, thanks to you. Dexion Evicus is my name. I'm a Moth Priest of the White Gold Tower. These vampires claimed they had some purpose in store for me, but they wouldn't say what. Probably hoping to ransom me, the fools. Now tell me, who do you represent, and what do you want with me?"

"I am Yssha, of Clan and Family Ysshaya, also known as Dovahkiin. I am hoping you will be willing to read an Elder Scroll we have."

He smiled widely. "I know that Clan and Family. You are the conqueror of Alduin, yes?"

When she confirmed that, he smiled again. "And you have an Elder Scroll? Remarkable! If my knowledge of history serves me, I recall that the Dawnguard was an ancient order of vampire hunters. Would you be connected with them, by chance?"

Yssha glanced at her team, and got a reluctant nod from Serana, so she nodded herself. "I am not a member, but I suppose you could call us allies."

Dexion smiled. "I will be happy to assist you with your Elder Scroll. Just tell me where I need to go."

"The Dawnguard is based at Fort Dawnguard, so that would probably be best." She might not particularly like Isran, but it was always wise to keep an ally informed.

"I'll meet you there, then," Dexion said, and left quickly, obviously eager to get away from the scene of his torment.

Yssha's team searched for loot before leaving. They were in decent shape financially, that was true, and the Emperor's generosity was supporting the Skyguard for now, but it seemed wasteful to leave valuables behind.

When they were satisfied they had all the easily-portable items, they left the cave. Odahviing wasn't there, so Yssha called him.

It took him longer than usual to arrive, and she wondered at that. When he arrived, she asked, "Did I call you at a bad time?"

"Not really, thuri," he said. "But your Moth Priest was in no condition for a long journey, so I took him where he needed to go. I assume you wish to join him?"

"Yes, please. But why not wait, and make only one trip?"

Odahviing snorted a laugh. "Because four will fit on my neck, but five will not."

Yssha "chuckled" at that. "Whenever you are ready, then, my friend."

When they arrived at Fort Dawnguard, they found Isran, Dexion, and two others she didn't know in the main chamber. Isran introduced her to Sorine Jurard, an artificer specializing in Dwemer mechanisms, and Gunmar, a blacksmith and animal trainer. Then he said, "I see you still have the Scroll. Dexion's ready to read it when you are."

She turned to Dexion. "I am glad you made it safely."

He smiled at her. "Ah, my rescuer! It's good to see you again. It was an interesting trip. And might I add, this is a remarkable fortress. I have colleagues back home that would love to study this place in detail."

Serana handed him the Elder Scroll, and he opened it. "Now, if everyone will please be quiet, I must concentrate.

"I see a vision before me, an image of a great bow. I know this weapon! It is Auriel's Bow!

"Now a voice whispers, saying 'Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise.'

"In an age of strife, when dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light and the night and day will be as one.

"The voice fades and the words begin to shimmer and distort. But wait, there is more here.

"The secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think there is more to the prophecy, recorded in other scrolls.

"Yes, I see them now... One contains the ancient secrets of the dragons, and the other speaks of the potency of ancient blood.

"My vision darkens, and I see no more.

"To know the complete prophecy, we must have the other two scrolls."

"I have the Dragon one," Yssha said. "I needed it to learn the Dragonrend Shout. So we need only find the one about ancient blood."

Serana reclaimed her Scroll and returned it to her back, then drew Yssha aside. "Do you have a moment to talk privately?"

"Of course. What is it? And why must it be private?"

"Because I think half the people here would just as soon kill me as talk to me. That doesn't exactly make me want to open up to them. I got a warmer welcome from my father, and that's saying something."

"Does Harkon even care about you anymore?"

"You know, I've asked myself the same thing. I thought ... I hoped that if he saw me, he might feel something again. But I guess I don't really factor in at this point. I don't think he even sees me as his daughter anymore. I'm just ... a means to an end.

"Do you know where the other Elder Scroll is?"

"No, but I know who does. We need to find my mother, Valerica. She'll definitely know where it is, and if we're lucky, she actually has it herself."

"But you said you did not know where she went."

"The last time I saw her, she said that she'd go somewhere safe ... somewhere that my father would never search. Other than that, she wouldn't tell me anything. But the way she said it ... 'someplace he would never search.' It was cryptic, yet she called attention to it."

"Maybe your mother did not trust you, either."

"That's always a possibility. She was almost as obsessed as my father by the time she shut me in. But I can't worry about that now. We need the scroll, and she's our only lead. Besides, I can't imagine a single place my father would avoid looking. And he's had all this time, too. Any ideas?"

"Perhaps he would not look for her in Castle Volkihar?"

"Wait ... that almost makes sense! There's a courtyard in the castle. I used to help her tend a garden there. All of the ingredients for our potions came from there. She used to say that my father couldn't stand the place. Too ... peaceful."

"It is risky, staying around the castle, but if that is the least likely place for him to look ... "

"Risky, certainly," Serana agreed. "But my mother's not a coward. That is ... I don't think we'll actually trip over her there. But it's worth a look. Maybe she left a clue to where she went, at least."

"That and then finding her sounds like it could take several days," Yssha said. "Which means it will have to wait until after the Moot, which I must attend in two days."

Serana looked disappointed, but nodded. "A few days shouldn't matter after as long as I was hidden away, I suppose." She looked around. "Could we get out of here? All these vampire hunters make me seriously nervous."

Yssha found that easy to understand, so she nodded, then went to Isran. "We will begin our search for the third Elder Scroll after the Moot. If the Divines are kind, we will find it before I must go to Imperial City for an audience with His Majesty."

Isran gave her an odd look, then half-grinned. "Better you than me, Dragonborn. Just watch your back. Some of those courtiers will smile and knife you at the same time. Skyrim can't afford to lose you."

"I will be careful," Yssha promised. She knew that, having visited the Imperial Court a number of times, but she found herself touched by his concern. Of course, most of the back-stabbing was verbal, but there were occasional exceptions. "We should go now, I suppose. Serana has accepted my hospitality, so she will accompany us."

"Good. I'd rather not have it around, tempted to feed on us. But the Moth Priest is welcome to stay, for now. Poor guy looks exhausted, so I'll find him a bed."

"We will see you when we have the third scroll, then. Farewell for now."


	47. A Short Moot

_A/N: Shane Kor - Thanks much for the review and follow! Given the size of Tamriel and my age, the story may well outlive me, but I'm gonna enjoy our time together. :)_

Yssha and her team plus Serana had arrived in Solitude the day before the Moot was to convene, taking rooms at the Winking Skeever. As they were settling in, though, Elisif's steward arrived. He bowed to Yssha, who returned it. "By your leave, Dragonborn, Jarl Elisif has a room for you at the Blue Palace, with the other attendees. Your people will have to remain here, though, since the participants are sequestered for the duration of the Moot."

Yssha didn't like being separated from her team, but nodded acceptance. "Very well. But I hope it will not be a long one, since I only brought two outfits suitable for formal occasions such as this."

Falk Firebeard smiled. "That should be plenty, since from what I've overheard, no one expects it to last more than two days, and probably only one. Will you need any help?"

"Thank you, but no. I had not even begun to unpack." She turned to the rest. "It seems I must leave you. Nevan, will you be ... well?"

He grinned. "Fighting Dexion without being able to injure him was plenty, thanks. I'm good for another five days."

"Excellent." She ignored the puzzled looks from Serana and Falk, picking up her pack. "I am ready."

The next morning after breakfast, the Jarls assembled in the Blue Palace's largest conference room, along with a number of secretaries to record the proceedings. Yssha wore her Radiant Raiment garb, and since it was the closest thing she had to a Jarl's circlet, the coronet the Emperor had sent her. No one objected, so she smiled to herself. But to her surprise, the Jagged Crown was in the middle of the conference table. Surely the coronation would not take place at the same time as the election!

Elisif, as the hosting Jarl, brought the Moot to order. "I welcome you all to the Blue Palace and the Moot to elect my husband's successor." She paused. "As the first order of business, I am informed by very reliable sources that a second Great War with the Aldmeri Dominion is inevitable, and will happen in the near future. You all know that I am not a warrior, and I am still in mourning for my beloved Torygg. So I am not qualified to be High Queen of a country that will soon be at war. I therefore remove myself from consideration for that position, and ask you to choose one suitable for such times."

That got a vigorous discussion going, but Yssha kept out of it. She was surprised, but gratified, by Elisif's honesty with herself.

Eventually, the discussion tapered off, and Jarl Idgrod turned to her. "Do you have a preference, Dragonborn? You have met all of us, and we respect your judgement. You also wear the Stormcrown."

Yssha hesitated. "What I wear is a gift from the Emperor, to symbolize my victory over Alduin. The Stormcrown itself is ... not something that can be worn."

"You are wrong, Dragonborn. Crowns are all symbols of things that cannot be seen." Idgrod's voice was uncharacteristically strong. "That may not have been the Stormcrown before you wore it, but it is now. So who would you choose as our High King or Queen?"

Yssha felt seriously uncomfortable."The choice is not mine, Jarl Idgrod. You know that. Perhaps it would be best if I withdraw until the rest of you decide."

To her surprise, Siddgeir rose to speak. "Your words carry weight, Dragonborn. Who would you choose?"

She looked around the room. "I will speak my preference only if all of you wish it, for my place here is essentially honorary. Even my Hold is only the Air. So, a show of hands, please, if you wish me to speak."

There was a brief hesitation, then all the Jarls raised their hands.

She bowed. "That being the case, I would choose Jarl Balgruuf the Greater. He is a seasoned warrior, skilled in both combat and diplomacy, as he proved during the Rebellion. He is an excellent ruler, as he has proven throughout his reign as Jarl of Whiterun. I believe he would be an equally excellent High King, both during the coming Second Great War and afterward."

"As I foresaw," Idgrod said with a smile. "I concur with the Dragonborn's evaluation, and second her nomination of Jarl Balgruuf."

"Are there any other nominations?" Elisif asked.

"Too much like work for me," Siddgeir said.

"And I am too old," Idgrod pointed out.

"Four of us are too new as Jarls to have the necessary experience at ruling," the new Jarl of Windhelm added. "That leaves it between Balgruuf and Igmund."

Igmund shook his head. "I can't leave the Reach to the Silverbloods and Forsworn, at least not until my heir is old enough to take over, so it's Balgruuf."

Elisif nodded. "It's only a formality, then, but a vote is necessary. Or acclamation."

The Jarls looked briefly at each other, then all of them looked at Yssha, obviously expecting her to do the honors, so she did, calling out, "Balgruuf!"

The rest followed her lead, except Balgruuf, who remained silent as was proper. Yssha went to one knee before the new High King. "As Dovahjud, Jarl of the Air, I swear fealty for myself and my lieges to you, High King Balgruuf."

"Your fealty is accepted, Ysmir," Balgruuf said formally. "I give you my loyalty and protection in return."

The brief ceremony was repeated with each of the rest of the Jarls, then Elisif turned to her steward. "Make the announcement, please, Falk. And be sure to say it was unanimous."

"Yes, my Jarl." Falk went to a balcony that opened above the approach to the Blue Palace, now crowded with townsfolk. "Good folk of Skyrim!" he called out, in as close as one untrained could get to Voice, "It is my great honor to announce that the Moot has unanimously chosen the former Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf the Greater, as our High King."

That got cheers, which grew even louder as Balgruuf joined Falk on the balcony, followed by Elisif. When the crowd quieted, Balgruuf spoke. "It is a great honor to be named High King of Skyrim, and I pledge to do all in my power to deserve it." He paused briefly. then went on. "I realize it is traditional to hold the coronation later, with great ceremony, but we have been without a High Ruler for too long already. The Jarls are here, as is the Dragonborn. I wish to receive my crown from her, and her duties may not permit that later."

Yssha took her cue from that, picking up the Jagged Crown and joining the two on the balcony. It seemed a shame to rush this, but Balgruuf was right on both counts, and a true religious ceremony could be held later, once representatives of all Nine could participate. Especially here in Skyrim, it would be wrong to have Talos excluded, which would be necessary now.

This time it was Balgruuf who knelt before her, removing his Jarl's circlet. She replaced it with the Jagged Crown, then stepped back. "Rise, Balgruuf, High King of Skyrim!"

He did so, with a small smile. "Thank you, Ysmir. Wait for me inside, please."

She bowed. "Of course, my King."

With the Moot's work done and most of the participants eager to return home, the Jarls were leaving the conference room when she went back inside. She took a seat and sipped at a glass of wine while she waited for Baalgruuf, who was probably going to remain outside until the crowd broke up.

It was probably ten minutes before he returned and sat across from her. "So that's that," he said. "I leave home a Jarl, and return as the High King. Frothar is too young to take Whiterun's throne, though, so I need to do both for a while. Hrongar can act for me for brief times, but he's too hot-headed for me to want to make him regent for Frothar."

Since that was the impression she'd gotten from Hrongar herself, Yssha didn't comment on that. "You will be remaining in Whiterun, then?"

"For a while, at least," Balgruuf said. "It's centrally located, so not too difficult a journey for the Jarls, and I'd prefer not to displace Elisif from her palace. The main disadvantage to Whiterun is that Castle Dour is Tullius's headquarters, so that means one of us will have to travel if we need to confer during the war, which I'm certain we will."

"Not an insuperable obstacle, my King," Yssha said. "I am sure I can find one of my winged lieges who will be willing to fly you between Whiterun and Solitude as necessary."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Balgruuf grinned. "You might start with Fusmulgar, the one you sent to visit Farengar. She's already taking him to places like dragon mounds and Word Walls."

"She is? That is good." Yssha purred. "But I did not send her; she volunteered when I told her of Farengar's research. I did not expect her to do much but talk with him, and perhaps provide a sample or two."

"She's practically taken up residence on the Great Porch. Farengar insisted I have the trap removed to reassure her, but she didn't seem to care."

Yssha gave her version of a chuckle. "Then she will probably have no objection to carrying you as well. Dragons are still impressed by status, and you are now royalty."

"So what will you do next, my young friend?" He grinned at her, shaking his head. "I was joking, you know, when I asked if your next accomplishment would be making friends with the dragons. Now that you've actually done that, I simply can't imagine what your next wonder will be."

"Helping to defeat the Thalmor, I hope." Yssha purred. "In the meantime, I have most of a week before I must visit the Emperor, so if you agree, my team and I, with a fourth person who may or may not become a permanent member, will be trying to find a way to reduce the current unusually severe vampire threat to the relative nuisance it used to be. Otherwise, it will become much worse."

"Keep me informed, but that sounds like it should be a high priority, yes. Should I send a courier to the Emperor with word of my selection?"

"It would be faster if I tell him when I visit," Yssha said. "The relay rider who brought me His Majesty's gifts said it would probably take him two weeks to get back, thanks to bad conditions in Pale Pass."

"And our couriers usually go by foot, so even longer for one of them." Balgruuf rose. "I should be following the others' example, and returning home with the news. I'm not looking forward to the trip."

"Then let us leave the city, and I will call Fusmulgar. Perhaps she will oblige you with a faster trip."

The new High King nodded and followed her. "You've changed Skyrim a great deal, Dragonborn," he said thoughtfully, "and I have the feeling you aren't done yet."

Yssha sighed. "And Skyrim has changed me at least as much, my King. Nor does that show any sign of stopping soon. I sometimes wonder what both of us will be when the changes end."

Balgruuf chuckled. "They won't, my young friend. I learned many years ago that change is the only constant in life. When change stops, you're dead."

"What a cheerful thought," Yssha said, with some sarcasm. "Though perhaps by that time, I will be ready for whatever afterlife I am granted."

They were at the city gates by then, and exited to see Odahviing backwinging for a landing, a young boy on his neck. That was the first time Yssha had seen him carrying anyone but herself and her team. Yes, she knew he'd carried Dexion, but she hadn't actually seen it. So she stopped as the boy dismounted. "Are you giving joy-rides now, my friend?"

"Call them test rides, rather, thuri," Odahviing said. "We are immortal, but our teams are not. It is well to begin finding and training new riders early, so they will be ready. This one will be a rider in a few years."

"I defer to your judgement on that subject." She turned to the boy, who was staring at her in awe. "Learn all you can, young man. Not only weapons work, but whatever magery you are capable of, especially healing. And do not neglect your studies of more peaceful pursuits; those will also be useful."

"Yes, Dragonborn! Whatever you say, Dragonborn!"

The boy ran into the crowd, shrieking in glee. "She spoke to me! The Dragonborn herself spoke to me! Did you see?"

Balgruuf chuckled. "I think you just made his day, my friend. Maybe his entire year."

Yssha smiled, the tip of her tail twitching in a near-laugh. "That is the sort of thing I enjoy. Fighting has its own pleasures, but those pale in comparison."

She moved away from the group gathered around Odahviing, and Shouted. "Fus Mul Gar!"

Moments later, the female dovah made a precise landing next to them. "Geh, Dovahkiin?"

"I present to you Skyrim's new High King. He tells me you are already carrying Farengar a number of places. If you are willing, I would like you to also carry King Balgruuf where he needs to go."

"The High King?" Fusmulgar gaped a grin. "I would be honored, thuri, as he is currently third in precedence within this realm. In dov terms, at least. Maybe second, in human."

Yssha wasn't sure she wanted a lesson in draconic precedence just then, so she didn't ask about that. "Then you will take him to Whiterun?"

"Of course." She extended a wing. "If you will mount, High King, we will be at your Grand Porch within minutes."

When Yssha returned to the Winking Skeever to rejoin her team, she found it full of people celebrating their new High King, including her people. They were sitting with Gulum-Ei, who had become her favorite fence shortly after he'd rejoined the Guild. She joined them in celebrating, but made sure they left when there was still time to fly back home before dark.


	48. In the Soul Cairn

Chapter 48 - In the Soul Cairn

They left Lakeview Manor for Castle Volkihar early the morning after the Moot, but Yssha had Odahviing drop them off about a mile away, with the extra supplies Serana had suggested they bring. They were trying to avoid alerting tthe vampires, after all, so they walked the rest of the way.

The rub came when they got to the jetty. The boat would only hold two, and they didn't want to take the time for three trips. Yssha and Marcurio had Watherbreathing spells on their helmets, where Nevan and Serana had no such advantage. So Yssha sighed. "You two take the boat. Marcurio and I will swim."

Nevan looked at her dubiously. "This place doesn't have blow-dryers, and you don't like being wet, if you're anything like Irschchans that way. Why not let me borrow your helmet? I've done a fair amount of underwater work with scuba and arti-gills both, and I'll dry out a lot faster than you will."

Gratefully, Yssha removed her helmet and handed it over. "Thank you. I was not looking forward to fighting with wet fur." More strange words, but his basic meaning was clear. "We will meet you on the shore."

Once they were back together, Serana led them to the hidden entrance. Naturally, in a place like this, they ran into opposition - stronger-than-usual skeletons, death hounds, a feral vampire, and one of the giant frostbite spiders. But Serana knew where she was going, so it was actually one of their easier dungeon runs. Finally they got to the courtyard she had told them about. It was an overgrown mess now, not the neat garden she had described.

"There's something wrong with the moondial," Serana said, frowning. "Three of the crests are missing. I think we'll have to find them and put them back in place. This is as far as I ever got, but since there's no other way out any longer, I'm pretty sure it has to be some sort of key to her workshop."

"That sounds reasonable," Yssha agreed, and the four began searching. The courtyard was fairly large, but with four searchers, it didn't take long to find the missing crests and restore them to their places. That caused the center section of the moondial to disconnect from the rest and become a spiral staircase down. "Clever, Mother. Very clever," Serana said with a grin.

Since Serana couldn't guide them any further, Yssha took the lead, casting Pathfinder as she usually did in such places, and it became a more normal run. More skeletons, several gargoyles, and a secret door later, they finally came to Valerica's workshop. More searching, until Nevan found a red book that proved to be Valerica's journal and gave it to Serana.

She read it, frowning. "That circle in the middle of the floor is a portal to the Soul Cairn. Do you know what that is?"

"More or less," Yssha replied. "Farengar told me about it when I asked him how to improve my Enchanting skills."

"My mother is down there, and the key to opening the portal is in her journal. We'll need some ingredients, which I'm sure she has here, but there's a problem. We also need some of her blood."

"Let us find the ingredients first. I would think there a good chance your blood would work, since you are her descendant."

"That's possible. All right, we need finely ground bone meal, purified void salts, and soul gem shards. They go in the vessel up on that pedestal above the portal."

Again, with four searching, it didn't take long to find what was needed. Serana mixed them together, then turned to Yssha. "Are you ready to go? I'm not entirely sure what this thing is going to do when I add my blood."

Yssha hesitated. "May I ask you something first?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"What will you do if we find your mother?"

"I've been asking myself the same thing since we came back to the castle," Serana replied slowly. "She was so sure of what we did to my father, I couldn't help but go along with her. I never thought of the cost."

"I do not know what she was thinking."

"Neither do I. She always seemed happy, before we heard the prophecy. Then it all changed. She became a different person. They both did."

"We will not know until we find her."

"Yes ... yes, you're right. I'm sorry. I just didn't expect anyone to care how I felt about her. Thank you. Are we ready then?"

Yssha nodded. "As ready as I will ever be to enter a plane of Oblivion."

"All right. Here goes." Serana bit her wrist, holding it over the vessel with the other ingredients. As the blood mixed with them, the portal opened as a descending staircase.

Yssha started to go down it, but felt a painful weakening, and an invisible barrier blocked her way. She blacked out, and when she regained consciousness, she was back on the pedestal. "What happened?"

Serana grimaced. "Apparently the Soul Cairn won't admit a living mortal. I'm sorry, I didn't realize."

Yssha sighed. "In that case, what now?"

"Well, Mother went down with no problem. So I could turn you into a vampire. Or maybe partially soul trap you."

Before Yssha could reply, a deep, resonant voice intervened. "Neither is permissible. My Daughter may not serve a Daedric Prince, and may aid only one, temporarily. Nor may a dovahsiil be trapped, unless I permit it for a brief time as punishment, which she does not deserve. But since this is a necessary journey, her body will remain here while I free her spirit temporarily."

With that, Yssha felt her body collapse, but she herself was still there, clad in her usual armor, with her usual weapons. When she tried descending the stairs again, Serana behind her this time, she had no problems. When she got to the bottom, though, Serana turned to her. "What was that?"

"I do not know, but I would think, since He called me His daughter, that it was my soul-father Akatosh."

Serana actually laughed. "Yes, He could make even the Ideal Masters or a true Daedric Prince give up what He has decided is His. I'm glad for you, Yssha. Even so, rescuing my mother won't be easy."

Yssha grimaced, her ears going back. "I would not expect it to be. Nothing in Skyrim is easy, except perhaps getting drunk, which I do not do. Mostly." She remembered the one exception she'd made, after defeating Alduin, and its aftermath. That had made her vow never to repeat the experience.

It didn't take long for Yssha to decide she hated this place. It was gloomy, lightning all around, and souls wandering around as if lost. Most of them, she was somehow certain, didn't belong here. What, if anything, could she do about it, though?

Then she knew. She approached one of the wanderers, and addressed it. "In the name and by the power of Akatosh, I send you from this realm to the afterlife you earned before being trapped."

The soul gave her a look of pure gratitude, and vanished.

"So," Serana said. "The trapped souls do come here, but it isn't necessarily permanent. Somehow I ... I think that's a good thing."

"I do too," Yssha said. "I am glad to confirm that Farengar and I were correct in our speculation. The Divines are just, and the Princes jealous. I would guess that the only ones who deserve this particular fate are necromancers, and perhaps not all of those."

As they walked, following Pathfinder, it was a combination of fighting undead - mostly types Yssha was unfamiliar with - and sending lost souls to their true destinations. It seemed like hours before they reached a huge structure and found Valerica, trapped behind an energy barrier.

She didn't look at all happy to see them, especially Yssha. "So how has it come to pass that a vampire hunter is in the company of my daughter?" she demanded. "It pains me to think you'd travel with Serana under the guise of her protector in an effort to hunt me down."

"It is not a ruse," Yssha said calmly. "Nor is my primary purpose hunting vampires. My team and I freed Serana from the place you imprisoned her, in fact. Had I intended her death, it would have happened then, when she was helpless."

"I find it hard to believe your intentions are noble. Serana has sacrificed everything to prevent Harkon from completing the Tyranny of the Sun prophecy. I would have expected her to explain that to you."

"That is why we are here for the Elder Scroll."

"You think I'd have the cruelty to place my own daughter in that tomb for the protection of her Elder Scroll alone? The scrolls are merely a means to an end. The key to the Tyranny of the Sun is Serana herself."

That startled Yssha. "What do you mean?"

"When I fled Castle Volkihar, I fled with two Elder Scrolls. The scroll you found with Serana speaks of Auriel and his arcane weapon, Auriel's Bow. The second scroll declares that "The Blood of Coldharbour's Daughter will blind the eye of the Dragon."

Yssha frowned. "How does Serana fit in?"

"Like myself, Serana was a human once. We were devout followers of Lord Molag Bal. Tradition dictates the females be offered to Molag Bal on his summoning day. Few survive the ordeal. Those that do emerge as a pure-blooded vampire. We call such confluences the 'Daughters of Coldharbour'."

"The Tyranny of the Sun requires Serana's blood?"

"Now you're beginning to see why I wanted to protect Serana, and why I've kept the other Elder Scroll as far from her as possible."

"Are you saying Harkon means to kill her?"

"If Harkon obtained Auriel's Bow and Serana's blood was used to taint the weapon, the Tyranny of the Sun would be complete. In his eyes, she'd be dying for the good of all vampires."

"I will not allow that to happen," Yssha said firmly.

"And how exactly do you plan on stopping him?" Valerica challended her.

"I will kill Harkon."

"If you believe that, then you're a bigger fool than I originally suspected. Don't you think I weighed that option before I enacted my plans?"

Yssha smiled. "I am Dragonborn. I have a number of advantages you do not. I destroyed Alduin, and I will destroy Harkon. Serana believes in me; why will you not?"

Valerica's attention went to her daughter. "Serana?"

"She's telling the truth, Mother. She and her team rescued me, then she welcomed me into her home."

The discussion between mother and daughter became more personal than Yssha was comfortable listening to, so she did her best to ignore it. From the tone, though, the two were reconciling their differences, which was good. Then Serana attracted her attention, and she listened closely to Valerica's description of what was necessary to free her.

Killing the three Keepers sounded simple enough, Yssha thought, though getting to them would be tedious, and they didn't sound like _easy_ opponents. She'd grown unaccustomed to foot travel, and the Soul Cairn was large, so it would also be time-consuming.

What disturbed her was Valerica's caution about Durnehviir, an undead dragon tasked with overseeing the Keepers. Given what Akatosh had said about dragon-souls only being able to be trapped with His permission, as a punishment, he must have done something truly repugnant. Well, she would deal with him when or if it became necessary. For now, she and Serana had Keepers to kill.

It became a timeless stretch of fighting the strange undead this place held and sending souls to their true destinations, interrupted three times by the far more difficult Keepers. Those were the only times Yssha missed having a body, because it proved impossible to carry anything she hadn't had when she shed her body, and the Keepers carried very nice loot indeed.

When all three were defeated, the two women returned to what Valerica had called the Boneyard. The barrier was down, and Valerica led them inside, where they were attacked by Durnehviir and a number of undead. Yssha concentrated on the dragon, using Dragonrend and Dragonbane, while Serana and Valerica fought off the undead.

He was powerful, though not as powerful as Alduin, so it took her full attention to fight him. Even bringing him down was difficult, as if Dragonrend was weaker here, but she eventually succeeded in killing him. She didn't absorb his soul, though, which seemed odd, as often as she'd done it. She didn't even try to search him, becase she couldn't carry the loot anyway.

When she looked around, she saw Valerica waving her toward an alcove. "I'm astonished you were able to kill him, she said. "But he won't remain dead. He'll reconstitute himself, somehow. Let me get this chest open."

"How long?"

"That's impossible to say," Valerica replied, opening the chest. "A minute? A day? A year? You would be wise to take the Elder Scroll and leave."

"You are not coming?"

"I dare not. I'm a Daughter of Coldharbour too, and that would double Harkon's chance of success. If you somehow manage to defeat him, Serana can come back and get me."

"All right. I cannot say how long that will be, though."

Valerica smiled. "I'm immortal, remember? And now I'm free, so I can entertain myself by exploring. Go do what you must."

"Farewell, then."

Yssha and Serana left the Boneyard then, and heard, "Greetings, Qahnaarin," in an unmistakable dovah voice. They turned, to see Durnehviir perched on a dilapidated - and silent - Word Wall. "Stay your weapons, please. I mean you no harm. But I would ask a favor of you."

"Why do you call me Vanquisher?" Yssha asked.

He gape-grinned. "Even in the Soul Cairn, the defeat of the World Eater has reached my ears, Dovahkiin. You may not be dovah, but the defeat of Alduin earns you the right of title."

She bowed. "And what favor do you wish of me?"

Before he could answer, a second dragon, this one wreathed in flames, appeared.

"Bormah!" Durnehviir cried.

"Geh, kuli. But the other does not know our language, so speak Common." Akatosh paused. "Do you know why I permitted your imprisonment here?"

"It took me some time, but I believe I do. It was my practice of necromancy in order to gain power. And perhaps the service I gave the Ideal masters. But why you leave me here so long I became tainted by the Soul Cairn and can never leave except for brief times if I am summoned?"

"That summoning is what you would have asked of Dovahkiin."

It was a statement, not a question, but Durnehviir nodded. "I apologize for offending you, Bormah. I knew it would displease you, but my lust for power overcame my sense of filial duty. Yet this place is ... distasteful, in more ways than one."

"I accept your apology, my son. And I cleanse you of the Soul Cairn's taint." The flames reached for Durnehviir, enveloping him briefly. "The Ideal Masters are powerful, by mortal standards, but weaker than a Daedric Prince. And they deceived you to gain your service, not telling you that the one you agreed to guard is as immortal as you are."

To Yssha, Durnehviir gave the impression of groveling before their father, filled with gratitude, though his position didn't change. "Thank you, Bormah! I feel free, and stronger already."

"Dovahkiin must still summon you, my son, if she is confident you will no longer practice necromancy. Should she do so, you may remain in Mundus." Akatosh gave the impression of amusement, which startled Yssha, and he turned to her. "Yes, My daughter. Divines feel all the emotions our creations do, for how else could they have gotten them?"

Then He turned back to Durnehviir. "If she does summon you, speak to Odahviing. You may wish to follow his example."

Yssha's spirit rejoined her body, up in Valerica's laboratory, and Marcurio grabbed her for a strong hug. "You're back, dearling! Are you all right?"

"I am fine, beloved." She licked his cheek. "It was not a pleasant experience, but our expedition was successful, in more ways than just acquiring the third Elder Scroll we need. I will tell you all about it when we get home." She looked at him hopefully. "Have you found a way out of here other than the way we came in? Unless Nevan needs it, I would really rather avoid combat for a while."

"I'm fine," Nevan said. "You were gone so long that Marcurio and I did enough sparring to stave off need for a few more days. That's enough, as long as I don't get as close to overload as I was when we fought." He grinned. "He also taught me a few more spells, enough that he says I can honestly call myself a battlemage."

Yssha stared at Marcurio. "He has that much magica?"

"Yes, love. Almost as much as I do. And he's a very quick learner. Besides, we didn't have anything else to do, after all."

He turned to Serana. "It's a good thing you suggested we bring extra supplies. Even with you and Yssha away, it's been long enough we're getting a bit short, and we can't leave. There's what I think may be a balcony across from that platform, but it's locked, and Nevan doesn't have any picks, so we couldn't check."

"I have the key," Serana said, "but it's too small for your dragon."

"Then we use the alternate method," Yssha said. "How long were we gone, beloved? The Cairn had no way for me to tell time."

"Five days. It's a good thing it wasn't longer."

Yssha swore under her breath. Five days? Then she had to go to the Imperial Palace tomorrow! Once she brought herself under control, she asked Serana to unlock the balcony, and 'ported them all to Lakeview Manor.


	49. Audience

Chapter 49 - Audience

The flight to Imperial City was the longest one yet, and Yssha enjoyed every minute of it. The day was beautiful, a welcome change after her time in the Soul Cairn. A quick stop shortly after they crossed the border into Cyrodiil told them the Emperor had ordered dragons left alone unless they attacked first, so Odahviing flew low enough for them to observe the scenery and inhabitants, and for those on the ground to see this dragon had riders.

She'd summoned Durnehviir shortly after arriving home the previous evening, certain that after his time in the Soul Cairn he would avoid necromancy completely. He'd spoken briefly to Odahviing, then immediately acknowledged her as his thur - she thought as much out of gratitude as from her defeat of himself and Alduin. The fact that she'd accepted him personally seemed to please him as well, and she'd wondered if Odahviing had told him how unusual that was. He was perhaps the tenth to come to her individually, when she was available to accept vahrinne, rather than as part of a group or by way of Odahviing, Franken, or Dovgrahaak.

The Arena was the best place, at least in the City itself, for a dragon to land, and to Yssha's surprise, it was empty except for a few people in the stands. Odahviing set down there, and Yssha's team dismounted and headed for the White Gold Tower. The three Skyguard were in armor and surcoats, Serana in her Royal Vampire Armor, but all carried packs with Court clothing. There were changing rooms in the Tower, so they could use those if necessary, and traveling on dragonback - well, techincally dragon-neck - was far more practical in armor.

To Yssha's delight, the first person she saw when she entered through the Great Doors was her greats-grandmother, in her own Divine Crusader armor. The two embraced, then studied each other briefly before Yssha said, "I thought you were down talking to the Mane!"

"I was, and spreading sedition against the Thalmor on the way." Ysshaya grinned. "It was fun pointing out that if the Thalmor claimed to have returned the moons to end the Void Nights, who better to suspect of starting the Nights in the first place? Our kindred don't enjoy being slaves, so it was spreading fast. At any rate, I 'ported back here yesterday, after talking to the Mane. He's more than willing to support the Empire, since both I and the Dragonborn are Khajiit sworn to it. I've already reported to Titus. Now, why don't you introduce me to your companions?

Yssha did so, pointing out that Nevan and Serana knew almost nothing about even historical events, but for different reasons.

"That's unfortunate," the Divine Crusader said. "But come with me. Titus wants to talk to you before the formal audience, because it may change what happens there."

"All right." The four followed her, into the Emperor's private quarters. Despite their weapons, the guards didn't keep them from entering, which definitely got Yssha's attention, and Nevan's.

"They allow just anyone in armed?" he asked, in clear surprise.

"Of course not," Ysshaya replied. "But I'm the Divine Crusader, my greats-granddaughter is something called Dragonborn and a Legate of the Imperial Legions, and you three are her entourage. You're no threat."

"No, you aren't," Emperor Titus Mede II said, entering from another room. "Even if you were, disarming you wouldn't help. At least three of you are mages, and the Dragonborn could kill me with just her Voice. Please, make yourselves comfortable. If you want anything to eat or drink, my servants will take care of it."

No one made any requests, so the Emperor turned to Yssha. "What's the state of your Skyguard?"

"Growing rapidly, Your Majesty," she replied. "At last report, we had over a thousand dragons, and perhaps five times that many potential riders. I just hope the non-dov Skyguard will be willing to swear to the Empire soon."

The Emperor chuckled. "Don't worry about that, Legate. You're sworn to the Empire and to me, so their status as a separate force is fine. It might even be better that way, given the necessary differences in tactics." He paused. "Do you think Skyrim could hold out against the Thalmor, my lady Dragonborn?"

"Given the liberty to fight them and worship Talos freely, yes. It would be the Empire itself I would be concerned about."

"Then ease your mind. It's been twenty-six years since the First Great War, over a generation, so we are almost completely recovered in spite of Thalmor attempts to slow that process." He shrugged. "Some cosmetic things still need to be done, but as far as strength goes, we are back to normal in what remains of the Empire."

He smiled. "Given your news, Dragonborn, and what the Divine Crusader has said of her trip to Elsweyr, it seems I may finally do something I have wanted to do for over a generation. Do you by any chance have the coronet I sent you in that pack?"

"Yes, sire, along with court clothing. Ah, Jarl Idgrod, who is a visionary, says it is now the visible version of the Stormcrown."

"Even better! Wear it, then, when you come to Court. In armor, please, and with your weapons. It will make a statement I want to emphasize."

"As you wish, my Emperor. What of my companions?

"Full armor and arms as well. It's unfortunate one of your dragons won't fit into the Throne Room." The Emperor's grin was ... unsettling was the best word Yssha could think of. "Hmm ... " He thought briefly, then his grin widened and he gestured a servant over, murmuring something in the man's ear.

The servant looked startled, then took off at a run. The Emperor turned his attention back to Yssha. "I understand you were going to attend the Moot. If it took place as planned, who was chosen? Elisif was the favorite, the last time I heard."

"I should have told you earlier, but I was distracted," Yssha said apologetically. "Elisif removed herself from consideration, because of the coming war. Balgruuf the Greater is the new High King."

"A good choice," the Emperor said. "I'll send him the usual congratulations. But for now, I've changed my plans. What's your highest title?"

That was an odd question, Yssha thought. "Dovahkiin, or in Common, Dragonborn. Of the others, I suppose Stormcrown, which actually means that I am acknowledged as overlord of the dragons. Much the same meaning as Dovahjud, which is Dragon Queen, or Jarl of the Air. Most of the rest would mean little outside Skyrim."

"I was hoping for something like that." The Emperor was grinning again.

"What are you scheming about?" Ysshaya asked her friend suspiciously.

"How best to infuriate the Aldmeri Ambassador," the Emperor replied. "One way or another, the White Gold Concordat ends today. He was angry after Talos spoke, but couldn't do anything about it. He was even angrier when I invited Yssha for an audience. If he sees us together, he may be angry enough to declare the Concordat at an end. I can't obey Divine Talos and the Concordat both."

Yssha hesitated before speaking. "By Your Majesty's leave, I do not believe that to be the best way to do it. You are blamed for signing the Concordat; you should be the one to take credit for its end."

He looked startled. "You know, you're right. Now that I _can_, instead of scheming for decades how to get_ them _to end it, I should. And I'll enjoy it very much indeed. Get your Stormcrown; we're taking the private way to the Throne Room as soon as Darius reports the rearrangement I ordered is done."

Yssha obeyed, putting it on as the Emperor donned his own crown. A few minutes later, the servant returned and reported his errand complete.

"Excellent," the Emperor said. "Now please give the Aldmeri Ambassador a message that I would like him to present himself at the Throne Room at his earliest convenience."

"Yes, Majesty." The servant left again.

The Emperor smiled at his visitors. "Come with me, all of you." He led them down a marble corridor and through a door that turned out to be at the side of the throne dais. There, the Ruby Throne had been moved to one side, with a large chair placed beside it. The Emperor seated himself on the Throne and gestured Yssha to take the chair.

She did so, now understanding the message the Emperor was sending. Both of them crowned and seated on thrones, even if hers was improvised, would tell the Thalmor they were obeying Talos, even if the Emperor said nothing. She didn't expect him to miss that opportunity, though.

The Penitus Oculatus agents guarding the Throne Room became even more alert when the Ambassador's arrival was announced, as did Yssha, her people, and her greats-grandmother. "Admit him," the Emperor said.

His Chamberlain did so, opening the doors, then pounding his staff on the floor three times. "His Excellency Telonil Adorin, Ambassador of the Aldmeri Dominion!"

The elegantly-robed Ambassador entered, then glared as he took in the scene. "What is the meaning of this ... this Abomination on a throne?" he demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?" the Emperor asked. "It means that I, Emperor Titus Mede II, hereby declare the White Gold Concordat null and void by command of the Divine Talos, and with the aid of the Stormcrown. You are declared persona non grata and commanded to return to the Aldmeri Dominion, taking all your Thalmor with you. The Skyguard will monitor your departure." His smile would have done credit to a werewolf as he turned to Yssha.

"We will, Your Majesty, and with considerable pleasure," Yssha said.

"This means war!" the Ambassador said.

"Yes, it does," the Emperor said, still smiling. "And We can assure you, nothing since the signing of that damnable Concordat has given Us greater pleasure. Go. Now."

When the Ambassador stalked out, the Emperor turned to Yssha. "I'm really not all that fond of war, you know, but it was inevitable once I had to sign that Divines-cursed Concordat, and I must admit I'm glad the suspense is over."

"How long should we give them to depart?" Yssha asked.

The Emperor chuckled. "The Ambassador has diplomatic immunity for himself and his personal entourage, so they remain off-limits while in Cyrodiil, to protect my Ambassador in the Isles. And I need time to inform my Legions here. But you have Our encouragement to take advantage of the element of surprise in Skyrim for as long as it lasts."

He paused. "I'd also like you to begin sending Skyguard into the rest of the Empire, when you have enough. The fast communication dragons can provide will be crucial, as will their combat abilities, and the people here and in High Rock need to start getting used to them."

"I will tell Commander Franken as soon as we get back. We have only been waiting for your permission to act on both."

"And you have it. So does General Tullius. You'll tell him for me?"

"Of course, Majesty. I am sure he will be happy to hear it, as will Legate Rikke - though for her, the end of the Concordat may make her happiest because she will be able to worship freely again."

"Yes, that's damn important, especially to Nords." The Emperor smiled. "I'm particularly pleased to be able to restore that, you know. My primary devotion is to Stendarr, but I do honor Talos as my predecessor, and it will be good to restore his shrine in the Tower's chapel."

"If I may change the subject for a moment," Ysshaya said, "I'd very much like to visit you, Yssha, and have you visit here, when Titus doesn't have me out on diplomatic missions. You've got your dragons, but I don't have any 'port targets there. I don't get out of Cyrodiil very much."

Yssha cocked her head. "Did you ever figure out - no, forget that. Odahviing can only carry four, so I cannot take you to my favorite home this trip, but I am sure he would do me the favor of taking you there when he is free." She grimaced. "My magical education has been delayed by the necessity of defeating Alduin, and will undoubtedly not proceed much faster with the war and some personal projects I must somehow fit in as well."

Ysshaya studied her greats-granddaugher. "You sound rather formal, for one of my descendants. Is there a reason?"

It was Marcurio who answered. "She wasn't this formal when she got to Skyrim. It started changing when she began killing dragons and absorbing their souls. I think she got to this degree of formality with the third or fourth soul she absorbed."

"We're definitely going to have to have a long talk, fairly soon," Ysshaya said. "But for now, I think you need to head back to Skyrim and get this little war going." She turned to the Emperor. "If you agree, of course, Titus."

The Emperor laughed. "Of course I do, my elderly friend. And I have a number of things I need to get started as well. So Yssha and her people are free to go to their own tasks."

Yssha rose and bowed. "I thank Your Majesty. It has been a great honor to meet and speak to you."

He stood and returned the bow. "The same for me, Stormcrown. The Nine be with you." He paused, then grinned. "It's good to be able to say that in public again."

Yssha smiled. "May They be with you as well, Majesty. And yes, it is."

The team went back to the private apartment where they'd left their packs, and Yssha repacked the coronet. That done, they returned to the Arena, where Odahviing was waiting impatiently.

"What happened?" he asked, as soon as they were within speaking range.

Yssha purred. "Mu los kein, vahriini. His Majesty has repudiated the Concordat and dismissed the Thalmor Ambassador as persona non grata. I need to speak to General Tullius and Commanders Falken and Dovgrahaak as soon as may be."

Odahviing aimed straight up, and Shouted. "Yol Toor Shul!"

Then he looked back down, at her. "That is wonderful news, thuri. Mount, and hang on, for I will be going at my fastest speed."

Yssha and her team did as he said. This flight was unbelievable! All of them stretched out along Odahviing's neck, with the wind-roar despite that almost deafening, until he back-winged to a landing outside Solitude. "You should find them all in the Castle Dour courtyard," he said. "At least it looked like Dovgrahaak taking up all the room."

Yssha gave her version of a chuckle as she dismounted. "He cannot help it, and it will make things faster. Plus, you can tell the people, if you wish, that they may worship as they think proper."

"Bormahu has said, and I will." Odahviing grinned. "Go, then, and give the rest the good news."

Yssha and her team dismounted, then headed up to Castle Dour. The trip up was nothing unusual, but she was happy to enter the courtyard and greet the ones there.

"You have news, Dragonborn?" Tullius asked.

"Indeed, General, Commanders. The Emperor has repudiated the White Gold Corcordat. We are at war with the Aldmeri Dominion, and Talos worship is again legal. We are to take advantage of surprise attacks as long as it is possible."

Before the humans could react, Dovgrahaak did as Odahviing had, Shouting a tower of flame into the sky. As he was lowering his head, Tullius and Franken were smiling at Yssha. "That's good to hear, Dragonborn," Tullius said, Franken nodding agreement. "Another couple of months would've led to better Legion/Skyguard coordination, but it's nothing we can't cope with. The morale boost of being able to kill Thalmor and worship freely is a major factor in itself."

"And we've been doing contingency planning ever since you introduced us," Franken added. He turned to Tullius. "Which one?"

Tullius looked up at Dovgrahaak. "You have enough dovahhe for the prepositioning at Northwatch?"

"Easily. More are coming in daily, including many who originally chose the Way of the Voice."

"Then we hit both, at dawn tomorrow. I want to get any prisoners out of the Keep, and you two want the Embassy for your headquarters. Though I still don't know why, as fast as you are."

"Symbolism, probably," Marcurio guessed. "Solitude being the capital, after all. I'm sure High King Balgruuf would be there as well, if it didn't mean kicking Elisif out of the Blue Palace."

Tullius nodded. "Probably so. Sometimes I do admire Nord honor, like not wanting to evict a woman from her home. I'd hate that myself, unless she was guilty of a major crime."

Yssha chuckle-purred. "Will you need me for those assaults? If not, I have an errand I would like to do for the Harbinger of the Companions."

Franken shook his head. "We'll be fine, Ysmir. Just a few last-minute details to settle."


	50. Glenmoril Witches

Chapter 50 - Glenmoril Witches

Yssha woke feeling eager. Finally, she could see to what Kodlak viewed as his salvation. Nor could she disagree with that, given Khajiit feelings about werewolves. Learning that the inner Circle of Companions were such had made her hesitant about associating much with them, but she respected them all, and actively liked Kodlak and the twins.

When she went downstairs for her pre-breakfast tisane, she found Nevan waiting, along with Rayya. "Is anything wrong?" she asked the young warrior.

"No. Everything's fine. But after yesterday, and some praying last night, I've made a decision." With a great deal of dignity, and no subservience whatsoever, he went to one knee in front of her. "Yssha of Ysshaya, I would be honored to take you as my chosen lord, if you will have me. I offer my honor and all else I have to give, in this life and that to come."

Almost instinctively, she held out her hands. "Nevan, warrior of Clan Leras, you do me great honor. I am humbled, and accept you as vahriin gladly." She couldn't remember the odd term he'd used, but hoped he'd take her meaning.

He must have, because he took her hands and stood, then bowed. "Thuri." He smiled. "I use the dragon term because that one's becoming known, where the Sandeman one probably won't be. And the essential meaning's the same, after all."

The three were drinking tisane when Marcurio and Serana joined them. Rayya went into the kitchen to finish breakfast preparations.

"So what's this errand you want to do for Kodlak?" Marcurio asked.

"Find Glenmoril Coven and take the witches' heads," Yssha replied. "That will enable him, and any others of the Companions who wish, to rid themselves of the curse of Hircine." She turned to Nevan. "Several of them are werewolves, and a few wish to return to full humanity. I promised Harbinger Kodlak I would aid him as soon as I was able. And since I am not needed for today's attacks on the Thalmor installations, it is a good time to keep that promise."

Once breakfast was finished, Yssha and her companions left the house, to find Ahkrinbo on duty. He greeted them, then said, "My team is going into Pinewatch shortly, if they are not already there. One of them says he knows you, Dovahkiin - Ralof of Riverwood?"

"Indeed - we were on the same prisoner cart, going to Helgen to be executed. I do not know him well, but he was kind to me then. It is good to know he survived the rebellion and joined the Skyguard."

"Ah. That is well to know. But I do not wish to delay you."

Yssha chuckled. "Tinvaak later, perhaps, but you understand joor haste well. Thank you, Ahkrinbo."

She called Odahviing, and the four were at Glenmoril Coven within minutes. The entrance area was bleak, no living vegetation. Marcurio looked around, pointing at symbols formed from the bones and antlers of large elks, spriggan and goat heads on stakes, troll and animal skulls near the braziers that marked the entrance. "Hagravens," he said, mostly to Nevan. "Magic-users with nasty personalities, teeth, and claws. Guaranteed hostile, so don't hesitate to attack first if you can."

Nevan nodded. "Understood, thanks." The four readied themselves, then entered. The cave entrance was small, especially compared to the large, two-level cavern it opened into. One of the hagravens was near a fire in the center of the cavern, and Nevan traded sword for bow. "On three ... one, two, three!"

He fired several arrows in rapid succession, while Macrurio cast lightning bolts and Serana used ice spikes. The hagraven was down before she had a chance to counterattack. Yssha decapitated her and put the head in a bag.

"That takes care of Kodlak's cure," she said. "But he mentioned that some of the others also wished to be cured. Shall we gather heads for them as well?"

When her team members all agreed, she smiled. "We have two who primarily use magic, and two who can use it, but prefer melee. It is clear all four are not needed for a single witch; one mage and one melee fighter should be plenty. Shall we pair off on that basis?"

They agreed, and she nodded. "I have fought beside Marcurio almost since my arrival, so I believe for this expedition, he and Nevan should form one team, while Serana and I get some practice with each other's styles."

"That got no objections, so she and Serana headed for the lower tunnels while Marcourio and Nevan climbed toward the upper ones. The lower north one led to a small room with a hagraven on a spiked platform to their left. Yssha scrambled up a dirt ramp toward it while Serana began throwing ice spikes. This time, the witch had time to screech, flinging flames toward Serana.

Yssha took advantage of that to get close enough to use her mace, The witch screeched again, this time in pain, and lunged at her, claws outstretched and aimed for her eyes. Yssha blocked that attack, then used Unrelenting Force. The witch was thrown back against the wall, and Yssha heard bones splintering.

She didn't want to damage the head, just in case, so she crushed the witch's chest instead, then decapitated her, stowing the head in her bag. Going back down, she asked Serana, "Do you need healing?"

"No, I'm fine. Not that a healing spell or potion would help me, given my condition."

Yssha purred briefly. "Then it is fortunate I found a Necromantic Healing spell tome in Dimhollow Crypt. That would work for you, would it not?"

"Yes, it would." Serana looked thoughtful. "I ... haven't had this kind of trust and helpfulness since my transformation. It's strange, and I like it."

"You are brave enough to trust and help us, which must be difficult for you. Why should we be otherwise?"

"I hope that was a rhetorical question," Serana replied drily, "because I don't have an answer. Let's go get that last head - assuming the men got their two."

Yssha did a quick search of the room, not finding much beyond some gold and alchemy ingredients, then nodded, and they went to the west tunnel. It was more winding than the first, leading to a cavern with a waterfall and pool, with a witch beside the waterfall. This time, Yssha Shouted, "Fus" as soon as she saw the witch, aiming at the legs, and knocked her target into the pool. When the witch emerged from the water, Yssha aimed her mace at the witch's chest, and Shouted, "Wuld!"

Her speed and the mass of the mace made it an instant kill, but threw the witch back into the water. She put her mace back on her belt, then waded in to retrieve the body and remove the head.

"You know, I wouldn't mind doing the water work," Serana said with a grin. "I dry off a lot quicker than you do."

Yssha purred briefly, looking at Serana's armor. There was so little of it that it was hard to think of it as armor at all, but there was no denying that the attractive vampire would definitely dry out faster than someone in full armor. "I will take you up on that," she said. "Though you may change your mind if you decide to remain with us, and I can find enough scales to make you armor like mine."

"I ... I may take you up on that, after we confront my father. I like the acceptance you and your people give me. Especially Nevan. He's strange, and _very_ curious about my vampirism, but he's also careful not to pry, which I appreciate. And he knows even less about here-and-now than I do."

"Would you rather partner with him when we split up like this? He is a stronger melee fighter than I am, though Marcurio classes him as a battlemage, as well."

Serana looked thoughtful. "Once you and I are familiar enough with each other's fighting style, I think so. He's also a more conventional melee fighter than you are. To be honest, I get a little nervous when you Shout. It's not even as natural as I am."

Yssha's ears twitched. "True, if you think of my visible form. Perfectly natural, though, for a dovah, which accords with my blood and soul."

"Yeah, I've noticed most Nords don't seem to have any problem with that, but me ... not so much." Serana shrugged. "We're done here, so why not go back and see how the men did?"

"Yes, that is a good idea." Yssha frowned. "For some reason, I am concerned about Harbinger Kodlak. I have not seen him since I spoke to him after the victory celebration. I would like to tell him about this success."

They returned to the central cavern, where they found Marcurio and Nevan waiting. "How did you do, love?" Marcurio called.

"Two more heads," Yssha called back. "And you?"

"The same, though one of the witches managed to ambush us, and we had to do some healing. Other than that, no problems."

Then let us go to Whiterun. I wish to report our success to Harbinger Kodlak."

"No problem," Nevan said, and Marcurio nodded.

It was nice to be outside, even in the bleak entrance area, at least for three of them. It was bright sunlight, and Serana wanted to be indoors, or at least in shade.

She didn't get her wish for a while. The flight to Whiterun didn't take long, but the walk up to Jorrvaskr had her complaining about her complexion - but she became quiet when they got close to the meadhall. Aela and Torvar were standing next to a couple of dead warriors with silver weapons

"What happened?" Yssha demanded.

"Silver hand," Aela replied. "Vilkas, Farkas, and I have been hunting them since they killed Skjor. I think they finally decided to get revenge for that, because they attacked a couple of hours ago." She scowled. "Kodlak was badly hurt. He wants to see you if he can before he dies."

Yssha growled, deep in her throat. "We should not have gone out on his mission at this time. We should have come here instead."

"Quit recriminations," Aela snapped. "Go to him!"

Yssha nodded, and entered Jorrvaskr. "Where is Kodlak?" she asked of the first person she saw.

"His quarters, Dragonborn." She thought it was Njada Strongarm, but didn't wait to confirm that, heading downstairs and to Kodlak's rooms.

When she entered his bedroom, it was all she could do not to yowl. The Harbinger was still alive, but pale, gasping for breath, and obviously weak. She knelt by his bed. "I am here, Harbinger Kodlak. We have the heads. What must we do next?"

His voice was as weak as he looked. "Go to ... Ysgramor's Tomb. Take Wuthraad ... Eorlund's reforged it. Throw a head into ... the Flame of the Harbinger. Don't know ... what after that. Take the twins ... they want freed, too. Hurry, please ... want Sovngarde, not ... hunting ground."

Yssha bent over to gently lick his forehead. "We will, my friend. Rest your mind."

Then she rose and left his room, Yssha giving way completely to Dovahkiin. "I want the twins and Aela. Outside the gates. Now. And Wuuthrad."

Eorlund stopped her on her way out, pushing Wuuthrad into her hands. "Help him, Dragonborn!"

"That is my purpose."

She seized the battleaxe and strapped it to her back, then pushed past, heading for the gates.

"Odahviing, I need another dragon - we are seven for this trip. Unpartnered, or with three openings."

He looked surprised, but ducked his head in acquiescence. "Yes, thuri." He thought briefly, then Shouted, "Thuru laan hi, Kren Kriid Laas!"

Another dragon joined them moments later. "You wish me, thuri?"

There was only one man on his neck, so she nodded. "I would like you to carry these three warriors to Ysgramor's Tomb. My team and I will ride Odahviing. Top speed."

"Yes, thuri."

Both dragons extended wings for mounting. Farkas, Aela and Vilkas were hesitant, but one look at Yssha's twitching tail tip, and they didn't protest, mounting Krenkriidlaas, if rather clumsily.

Yssha and her team were more graceful, laying along Odahviing's neck as they had on the way back from Cyrodiil. As soon as he touched down, followed by Krenkriidlaas, the three Companions, and the original rider.

She led the way into the Tomb, seeing a huge statue of Ysgramor, who had greeted her and Marcurio inside the Hall of Valor. It was obvious the statue was intended to hold Wuuthrad, so she placed it in the stone hands. That opened a door behind the statue and she started through it. Before she could, Vilkas said, "You should be cautious."

Yssha didn't want to lose any time, given Kodlak's condition, but this sounded important. "What do you mean?"

"The original Companions. Their finest warriors rest with Ysgramor. You'll have to prove yourselves to them. It's not that you're intruding. I'd wager they've actually expected us. They just want to be sure that you're worthy. Be ready for an honorable battle."

"We will. Come along."

Vilkas started to protest. "But I can't - "

"You can and will. You are part of the reason for the wounds he took; you will help cleanse his soul before his death, Divines willing. Come along."

Marcurio grinned as he followed his wife. He'd never seen her like this, but it was good to see she could act decisively, giving orders rather than just making requests. Though she'd shown signs of that capability as early as Bleak Falls Barrow - his mind flashed back to the swinging-blade trap - it clearly wasn't her preferred style.

The ghosts didn't wait long to challenge them. They began attacking in the next chamber, but the entire group had apparently picked up on Yssha's mood, so the battle was relatively silent, and fast. The same went for the next room.

In the next, they faced frostbite spiders, and this time it was Farkas who tried to back out, because of the spiders. Yssha came close to snarling. "You heard what I told Vilkas. You are a Companion; act like it."

That shut him up, even though he still looked unhappy, and she made a point to keep an eye on him, throwing a Fus or Yol occasionally so he wouldn't have to fight many. Divines knew, he was courageous enough, and she _almost_ regretted forcing him to have to face this fear.

The next chamber, though, was back to the ghosts, where he had no problems. Then a pull chain to another room of Companion ghosts. Yssha remembered Vilkas saying 'their finest warriors' rested here. How blasted many were there of the 'finest'?

At least the last room held no ghosts, but a brazier she hoped was the Flame of the Harbinger. She took a chance, tossing one of the witch heads in. "For Kodlak!"

A huge ghostly wolf appeared, and all eight went into combat mode, making short work of it.

Seconds later, Kodlak's spirit appeared, smiling widely. "You did it, my friend. I felt the curse lifted when I could barely keep fighting my wounds, and knew from that I was free to let them take me. The pain is gone, the glory come. You were right. It is more glorious than words can say."

Yssha bowed in deepest respect. "I am glad we were in time, Harbinger Kodlak. May you pass Tsun's test, and enter the Hall of Valor. I am sure you will, after this victory over yourself."

He smiled again. "Despite your other responsibilities, I wish you as my successor, Dovahkiin. It need not be life-long, only until you find another who matches your ideals."

She bowed again. "That is fair enough, my friend. I accept."

She wasn't the only one with tears in her eyes, she discovered when she turned to the rest after Kodlak vanished. Farkas and Vilkas were weeping openly, and even Aela's warpaint was a bit smeared.

She spoke, very gently. "While we are here, and in strength, do any of you wish the same?"

Vilkas stepped forward. "Yes, Harbinger. I agree with Kodlak, and I wish to be freed of the Beastblood."

"Very well. Everyone, brace yourselves." She cast another witch head into the brazier. "For Vilkas!"

Again a huge wolf-spirit appeared, and again they defeated it. Vilkas slumped to his knees for a few seconds, then rose, looking dazed.

Yssha approached him, a bit worried. "Are you all right?"

He shook his head, as if throwing off cobwebs, and smiled. "More than fine, Ysmir. I am ... myself again. A proper Companion, not a predator. Normal food is good." He turned to his twin. "Do it, Farkas. I beg you."

Farkas turned to Yssha. "He's the smart one of us, and ... the beastblood has always troubled me, if only a little at times. So yes, please."

She hurled a third head into the flames. "For Farkas"!

For the third time, they fought a huge wolf-spirit and defeated it, then aided Farkas to his feet. "I ... feel clean," he said slowly as he stood. "Aela?"

"Not me," she said with certainty. "I want the Hunting Grounds, with Skjor. I'll miss you, but Sovngarde is not for me. I'm as much a wolf as our new Harbinger is a dragon. We go our different ways when this life ends."

"The choice is yours," Yssha agreed. "Let us go, then."

The trip back to Ysgramor's statue was faster and much easier , of course. But rather than use the south door where they'd come in, Yssha felt an impulse to use a door to the west that she hadn't noticed earlier. As soon as she got outside, she heard the chanting of a Word Wall above and to her right. She followed the sound up a set of steps and to the Wall. As usual when she approached it, the Word it held was outlined in blue fire and moved into her.

Something had changed, though, because she **knew** it without using a dragon soul to unlock it. Why and how that had happened, she didn't know, but it made her happy; she would no longer have to kill one of her fronne to open a Word of Power. It also made her feel more like a true dovah.

Oh, she'd still have to kill the rogue ones, and absorb those souls to be sure they stayed dead, but now she would be doing it without fearing it was to get that soul for selfish reasons. Scales and bones were still a minor temptation, yes, to armor and arm her people, and sell to Adrianne when that was done, but not the souls, any longer.

She called the dragons who'd brought them, and asked for transport back to Whiterun at a comfortable pace, but before she mounted, she turned to Krinkriidlaas' original rider. "It is good to have you with the Skyguard. May I know your name?"

He grinned. "Kallen of Dragon Bridge, with Krinkriidlaas."

Yssha cocked he head. "You take the dragon you ride as part of your name?"

"Those who have the honor to be chosen for one's team, yes." He grinned again. "There're a lot of them, but a whole lot more of us, so they can be picky about who they let ride them. So we like to let it be known."

"Ah. Thank you." She gave her own version of a grin. So now Ralof of Riverwood was adding 'with Ahkrinbo' to his name. Identifying himself with a dragon wasn't something she'd have expected after Helgen, but then, Nords did enjoy bragging, so perhaps it was natural, after all.

They mounted the dragons then, and returned to Whiterun. When the group entered the gates, a guard stopped them. "Kodlak Whitemane's funeral will be held an hour before sunset, at the Skyforge." He smiled. "The Companions who were sitting deathwatch with him say you were able to free his soul from a curse, Dragonborn. That's good."

Yssha bowed her head. "Yes. He is in Sovngarde now. He was allowed to tell us that."

The guard smiled again. "If anyone deserves that, he does. May the Nine be with him."

Everyone of any importance in Whiterun, including High King Balgruuf, was at the Skyforge at the appointed time, as were a number of others. The pyre atop the forge was impressive, Yssha tought, and appropriate. Tall, draped in rich fabric, with Kodlak at the top, his sword in both hands at his breast. Dovahhe circled overhead, knowing their thur grieved this joor's death.

There was a solemn silence before Aela spoke."Before the ancient flame..."

Everyone there spoke in chorus. "We grieve."

Eorlund: "At this loss..."

"We weep."

Vilkas: "For the fallen..."

"We shout."

Farkas: "And for ourselves..."

"We take our leave."

Then Aela stepped forward, and set the pyre alight. The ceremony was over, but Yssha felt a need to stay until the body was completely consumed, and so did a number of others.

Finally the gathering broke up, people and dragons going their separate ways.


	51. Good Intentions

Chapter 51 - Good Intentions

Yssha's curiosity about the first joint Skyguard-Legion operations impelled her to go to Solitude instead of Winterhold the next day. General Tullius was easy to find, as he had to be, so she wasn't at all surprised to find him in the Castle Dour maproom.

When she joined him at the map table, she saw gold flags at Northwatch Keep and the Thalmor Embassy. She glanced over to Fellglow Keep, and noticed it had gold as well. She smiled. "I gather yesterday went well?"

Tullius smiled widely. "Divines, yes! You know the old saw about no battle plan surviving contact with the enemy?"

"Of course. How much it has to be changed varies, though. But yours must have survived better than most, from your expression."

"It would've been intact, except for the dragons. Even after watching some Skyguard training, I ... underestimated them. The main change was the Shouts they used. I'd expected Fire Breath or Unrelenting Force, but Franken wanted the buildings kept intact if possible, so they used ones that wouldn't damage stone."

He paused, grinning. "You know, a battle where your forces can disarm the enemy from a distance, make them flee, or freeze them to death, isn't very difficult. Of course, that was only the ones outside, but once the Skyguard took care of that, the Legion cleared out the interiors with very little problem."

"That is good to hear. Were there any difficulties I should know about?"

The General hesitated. "Nothing to do with combat, no. And you know we have to use torture for information ourselves. I don't particularly like it, but ... after seeing what the Thalmor did to their prisoners, we are rank amateurs. Our healers and yours could save only a few, and most are damaged for life. We need better healing spells and potions, and ... I would like some better way for _us_ to gain needed information."

"I will be going to Winterhold after I leave here," Yssha said thoughtfully. "I am sure the College there has a Restoration Master who would be willing to help. For the other ... may we speak privately?"

He looked surprised, but nodded, and led her upstairs to his office. "What is it, Legate?"

She touched the armor over her Amulet of Articulation. "I have an artifact that makes me extremely persuasive. To the best of my knowledge, it is unique - at least I hope so, because it has a huge potential for abuse." Balgruuf had taught her to look out for those ... "But feel free to call for me if you believe a prisoner has particularly important information."

"I'll do that, Legate. Was that all?"

"All that required privacy, sir. I thank you for your courtesy."

He chuckled. "You're one to talk! You're probably the most courteous person I know, especially in the Legion!"

Yssha purred. "Have you ever heard two dragons in tinvaak - conversation? Marcurio says that their equality of power is what makes them so polite."

Tullius looked thoughtful. "He may be right. But that, I'm afraid, is academic at this point."

Yssha smiled to herself. "Then if you will excuse me, General, I would like to get to Winterhold and find that Restoration Master."

"As you wish, Harbinger."

She stopped, startled. "You know?"

"Your dragons spread news quickly. Yes. The Nine bless you for what you did for him."

"Thank you." Yssha closed her eyes briefly, then left, descending from the Castle to the city, then out the gates to Odahviing and the now-expected scene of him in a crowd of admirers.

She laughed. "Having fun, my friend?"

Odahviing looked at her. "I am, thuri. With Alduin's influence gone, these joorre are still ours, but in a different way."

"Different how?"

"I am not sure how to say it, in either language. But it is clear they require our assistance. They are not exactly kiirre, children ... but they are very young by our standards, and Bormahu's original will for us is that we cooperate with and protect them as needed. So those of us sworn to you, at least, will do so."

When the team got to the College of Winterhold, Yssha's first act was to take the books from Fellglow Keep to Urag. "The Skyguard found these when they cleaned out the Fellglow necromancers. Are they the ones you mentioned?"

"Well, well." He took them and checked, then nodded. "And you seem to be in one piece! Thank you. I'll look these over, and inform Mirabelle if I find anything relevant. Night of Tears, eh? I remember this one. Well, isn't that interesting. Did you read it yourself? If I recall it correctly, that has some interesting implications. You should mention that to Tolfdir. And... here. I suppose you've earned these." He handed her half a dozen books.

She looked at them and smiled. They were skill books, one for each magical School. "Thank you. Would you know where we might find Tolfdir?"

"Probably in the Hall of the Elements, studying that peculiar orb you found under Saarthal. He barely takes time away from it to eat and sleep."

"Thank you again." Yssha left, and found Tolfdir examining the orb as Urag had said. They greeted each other, and she told him about the book. Then Tolfdir began talking excitedly about the orb markings seeming to be unique, as they didn't appear to be Elven, Daedric, or Ayleid.

They were interrupted within a minute, by the Thalmor "advisor", Ancano. "I'm afraid I must intrude. It is urgent that I speak with your associate immediately."

He was his usual obnoxious self, Yssha thought, but not hostile. Word of the war must not have reached this isolated College yet.

Tolfdir objected strongly, but again with no reference to the war, confirming her hypothesis. "Now, I... This is most inappropriate! We are involved in serious research here!"

"Yes, I've no doubt of its gravity. This, however, is a matter that cannot wait."

Tolfdir turned to Yssha. "Well, I'm quite sure I've never been interrupted like this before... the audacity!... I suppose we'll continue this at some later time, when we can avoid interruptions."

When he walked away, Ancano told Yssha. "I need you to come with me immediately. Let's go."

Should she tell him, or wait until she could brief the Archmage first? It didn't take her long to decide Savos Aren should know first, so she played along. "I do not understand. What is it?"

"Really? Well, allow me to clarify the situation. I'd like to know why there's someone claiming to be from the Psijic Order here in the College. More importantly, I'd like to know why he's asking for you specifically. So we're going to go have a little chat with him, and find out exactly what it is he wants."

That intrigued her, so she followed him, her team tagging along. As they approached the Archmage's quarters, Ancano said, "Now, you are going to speak to this... Monk... and find out why he is here, and then he will be removed from College grounds."

Quaranir greeted her, then cast a spell that left them in private. He was in a hurry, saying that the Order had been having trouble contacting her in visions as previously, so he had to come personally. He blamed it on the Eye of Magnus. It was dangerous, and becoming more so over time. "We expect dire consequences if the Eye is not banished, but the future is obscure, and we are unsure of how you must act.

"You must understand, the Psijic Order does not typically ... intervene directly in events. My presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the Order, and as soon as we have finished, I will be leaving your College. I'm all too aware that my arrival has aroused suspicion, especially in Ancano, your Thalmor associate."

"He is not my associate," Yssha said. "But what objection does he have to you?"

"I presume you refer to Ancano's distaste for the Psijic Order? The Thalmor see our Order as a threat because we have power, and we will not allow them to control us. I assure you that we mean you no harm.

"As you may have learned, this object ... The Eye ... is immensely powerful. This world is not ready for it. If it remains here, it will certainly be misused. Indeed, many in the Order believe it has already ... Rather, something will happen soon, something that cannot be avoided. You must find and speak to the Augur of Dunlain."

Then there was a flash of light, and they were no longer alone.

"Well? What is the meaning of this?" Ancano demanded.

Quaranir remained calm. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Don't play coy. You asked to see a specific member of the College. Here she is. Now what is it that you want?"

"There's been a misunderstanding," Quaranir said. "Clearly I should not be here. I shall simply take my leave."

Ancano was insistent. "What? What trickery is this? You're not going anywhere until I find out what you're up to!"

"I am not 'up to' anything. I apologize if I have offended in any way."

"We will see about this ..."

Both left, and Yssha turned to the Arch-Mage. "I did not wish to say this in front of Ancano, Arch-Mage, but day before yesterday, His Majesty disavowed the White-Gold Concordat, and yesterday the combined Skyguard and Imperial Fourth Legion attacked and captured Northwatch Keep and the Thalmor Embassy. So although he does not yet seem to know it, you have an enemy combatant in your midst. I would recommend caution in dealing with him, unless you can arrange an ambush, or want us to take him out."

Aren shook his head. "That would feel too much like murder, but ... yes, caution is called for. Perhaps you could station some of your Skyguard here for when he learns of it?"

"Certainly," Yssha said. "I will ask Commanders Franken and Dovgrahaak to send a team as soon as I find and speak to someone or something called the Augur of Dunlain. Oh, and could you send a skilled Restoration Master to speak with General Tullius? The Skyguard and Legion freed a number of victims of Thalmor torture yesterday. They need more help than our combat healers were able to give."

"Certainly - I'll do it as soon as we're done here. But about the Augur ... Has Tolfdir been filling your head with that nonsense?"

"No, Archmage. The Psijic told me of him or it, and said it was crucial for me to do as I said. So I must seek out this Augur."

"Go ahead, then." Aren shrugged. "I think he's somewhere here in the College, but I'm not sure. Tolfdir or Colette might know."

Well, if the Augur was in the College, Pathfinder would be the fastest way to find him, and Quaranir had left no boubt of the urgency. So as soon as they left the Hall of Elements, she cast it.

It led them off to the right, to a trapdoor set in the corner of the Hall and the inner wall. She sighed and opened it, descending into a cavern with - of course, she thought with resignation - draugr. Not Overlords, though, so definitely not a problem. A couple of ice wraiths and a few frostbite spiders later, they came to an entry to another section, but it was easy as well until they got to a locked door. When she tried to open it, a voice spoke.

"There is no help for you here."

Yssha had no intention of leaving without speaking to the Augur, and if he was any good, he'd know it, so she waited. It wasn't long before she heard, "Still you persist? Very well, you may enter." The door opened, and the four entered, to see what looked like a ball of energy hovering over a well. It spoke. "Welcome to the Midden."

"So you are the Augur of Dunlain?"

"I am that which you have been seeking. Your efforts are in vain. It has already begun. But those who have sent you have not told you what they seek. What you seek."

"And what is it I am seeking?" Yssha asked.

"You seek that which all who wield magic seek. Knowledge. You shall find this: Knowledge will corrupt. It will destroy. It will consume. You seek meaning, shelter in Knowledge. You will not find it. The Thalmor sought the same thing, and it shall lead to his end as it has so many others."

The answer seemed obvious, but she asked anyway. "I am not the first to come see you?"

"No, though you may be the last. The one who calls himself Ancano has sought my knowledge as well, through very different questions. Your path differs from most. You are being guided, pushed towards something. It is a good path, one untraveled by many. It is a path that can save your College. I will tell you what you need to know to follow it further."

"And what is that?"

"You, and those aiding you, wish to know more about the Eye of Magnus. You wish to avoid the disaster of which you are not yet aware. To see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded, you require his staff. Events now spiral quickly towards the inevitable center, so you must act with haste. Take this knowledge to your Arch-Mage."

Then the Augur faded away, and Yssha sighed. "Another change of plans. But this is much more important than investigating those cultists, I suppose." She led the way back out of the Midden, passing an odd forge she told herself she'd investigate later.

They found the Arch-Mage in the Hall of Elements, studying the Eye. "I have important news for you, Arch-Mage."

"Really?" he replied. "And what might that be?"

"We must locate and retrieve the Staff of Magnus."

"I'm sorry, what? Well... I'd certainly love to have such a powerful staff, but I'm not really sure that any of us need it."

"We do. The Augur of Dunlain said it is connected with the Eye. I just spoke with him."

"Did you really? And he specifically mentioned the Staff of Magnus? I ... I'm impressed with your initiative. Of course, someone will need to follow up on this."

"Yes, but I do not know where to start."

"A most impressive attitude. Keep this up, and you'll do quite well for yourself." He paused, looking thoughtful. "Something as specific and ancient as the Staff of Magnus ... I'm not sure we'd ever find something like that ... I seem to recall Mirabelle mentioning the staff somewhat recently. Why don't you see if she can tell you anything? I'm quite pleased with your progress, you know. You've certainly proven yourself to be more than a mere Apprentice. Well done. This circlet once proved invaluable to me. I hope it can be of use to you now."

She accepted the circlet he offered. "It is enchanted, but I cannot tell with what."

"It's a Mage's Circlet - it's to fortify your magica. You're talented, but limited that way as yet."

Yssha was all too aware of that, so she nodded. "It will be helpful, then. I thank you, and will find Mirabelle as quickly as possible."

They didn't have to look far; she was out in the courtyard, and greeted them. Yssha returned the greeting then asked, "What do you know about the Staff of Magnus?"

"Well now that's an odd question. Why in the world would you be asking?"

"The Arch-Mage said you mentioned it, and suggested I ask you."

"I see. Well yes, I suppose I did mention it, though I'm not sure what he expects me to tell you. I only brought it to his attention a few months back when the Synod showed up here looking for it. They were apparently under the impression we were keeping it in a closet somewhere."

"It may be connected to the Eye of Magnus."

Mirabelle looked puzzled "The "Eye of Magnus"? I can appreciate that this ... thing, this Orb ... It's very impressive. Very unique, and definitely worth studying. But let's not jump to any conclusions, or assign it importance beyond what we're certain of."

"Please, I need to know everything you can tell me about the Staff."

"Well, it's said to be very powerful. Has the capacity to store an incredible amount of magical power, as the story goes. But it's more myth than anything at this point. I've no doubt that it actually exists, but no one has seen it in what, decades? Longer? I'm not sure. The only time I've heard it mentioned was when those Synod characters showed up some months ago looking for it."

Yssha knew the Synod existed, of course, but that was about all; her interests had been primarily melee-oriented, until she got to Skyrim. "What can you tell me about them?"

"Mages based out of Cyrodiil. They fancy themselves the Imperial Authority on magic these last few hundred years. My understanding is that all they really do is make noise in an attempt to curry favor from the Emperor. Lots of politics, little magic. I was quite surprised to find them on our doorstep. They seemed amiable enough, but their line of questioning made me ... uneasy. It became clear they're trying to hoard powerful artifacts, looking to consolidate power."

Does no one know where the Staff is?"

"No one here does. The Synod seemed convinced it was somewhere in Skyrim. They inquired about the ruins of Mzulft, but that's all I remember. It sounded like they were heading there, though they were rather secretive about why. I suppose if you're intent on looking for the staff, there's a chance they might be in Mzulft yet. Just don't expect them to be cooperative."

With a name like that, Mzulft was Dwemer, Yssha thought, so at least this task would be profitable. "Is there anything more you can tell me about the Staff?"

"I'm not really sure. Made and used by Magnus himself, if you believe those sorts of things. I've heard it said that it's the only thing that could adequately contain his power. The sort of embellishment wizards of ancient times loved to make."

It looked like that was all the information she was going to get, so Yssha took her leave and the team headed for home. She was looking forward to that, since construction was finally done, and it was far more comfortable than it had been. The bedroom wing was larger than originally planned, since Rayya was making allowances for Yssha's team to grow, but Yshha herself was dubious about that happening.

Four was enough to handle anything they were likely to run into, without getting in each other's way - assuming, of course, that Serana decided to stay with them. If four proved not to be enough, well, she could call on the Tongues, thanks to Shor's gift after Alduin's defeat.

At any rate, they could spend the night at home, then get an early start for Mzulft in the morning.


	52. Revealing the Unseen

Chapter 52 - Revealing the Unseen

As planned, immediately after breakfast the team left for Mzulft. It was southeast of Windhelm, not a difficult flight, and it was the largest Dwemer ruin she'd yet seen. And the most impressive, with carved stone columns and arched entrances, as well as a magnificent stone-and-pipework facade gently hissing steam. ""How their works could be in such good condition after four millennia, I will probably never understand," Marcurio commented.

"This is four thousand years old, and things still _work_?" Nevan asked incredulously. Then he paused. "Oh. Right. Magic ... so I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Marcurio chuckled. "Only Dwemer magic - we don't have anything comparable. Oh, a few things, but far smaller - nothing on the order of even a small Dwemer ruin. That's one reason dwarven metal is so valuable."

"Shall we get on with this?" Serana asked. "Lessons when we aren't on a mission, please."

"Agreed," Yssha said with a nod, leading the team inside. Not far from the door, a man was crumpled to the floor, attempting to speak. "Crystal ... gone... Find Paratus ... in Oculory ...". Then he gave a death rattle, and was dead.

Hoping to find more information, Yssha searched the body. Besides the usual minor loot, they found a key, and a book labeled "Research Log," which she read aloud.

"Attendant Gavros,

"The Council has become aware of the lack of progress in your group's efforts. They are particularly displeased to learn that your specifications for the focusing crystal were completely incorrect.

"The entire Binder's Conclave has worked tirelessly, and the Council is quite sure this new crystal will suit your needs. You are herewith entrusted with delivering the crystal to the site, completing your work, and delivering a full report to the Council with all possible haste.

"The Council trusts you will deliver the crystal to the Oculory personally, and that there will be no further complications.

"- First Adjunct Oronrel"

"And he had no crystal with him," Yssha said. "So we must search carefully, when we have no idea how big this crystal is or what it looks like. Ah, well - at least we have his key."

The key opened a nearby door, and they entered a typical Dwemer ruin. Except for its size, which made their detailed search time-consuming, it gave them no more trouble than usual. When they came across the body of a second Synod researcher, Yssha was hopeful of finding the crystal, but they weren't that lucky, and continued their exploration, fighting off various dwarven automata and avoiding traps.

"We might need to hire a few more porters to retrieve what we are finding here," Yssha commented. Not only were there a lot of soul gems to harvest from the automata, but the metal remains, dwarven ingots and oil, and even dinnerware, the latter of which was becoming a popular item for trade as far away as Cyrodiil. Most of what Yssha found of that, she sold at favorable prices to the Khajiit caravans.

"I think you're right," Marcurio agreed. "This must've been one of their biggest, or at least most prosperous, places."

Yssha nodded, then had to fight off a spider worker while Nevan and Marcurio took on a sphere before they continued on their way as before. They did run into an unexpected treasure in what looked like a workshop - a Dwemer chest filled with charged soul gems. They divided those up, taking time to recharge their weapons, then went on.

Eventually they came to a gold door that led to a part-natural, part-Dwemer section of the ruins. The first thing they ran into there was a group of Falmer and Chaurus. Those were a pain in the neck, but given that all four were good at Healing, not much more than an annoyance.

A third chamber was larger, but had only four Falmer, which Yssha's four took care of in short order. They each took a body to search, and moments later, Serana called, "Found it!", holding up a lenticular crystal maybe a hands-length wide.

"Wonderful!" Yssha called back. "Now to find where it goes. We continue the search." They spread out, Yssha with Marcurio and Nevan with Serana this time, one pair heading for each door. Serana and Nevan headed west, Yssha and Marcurio east.

They reached their objectives at about the same time, but Nevan and Serana were stopped by a locked door, while Yssha and Marcurio found theirs open, so the four spread out to search again. This time it was Yssha who found the key, in a Falmer chest with other loot. She grinned. "All right! Let us go to your door, and see if this key fits."

They did so, and it did. The door led to a short corridor ending in another door, which the key didn't open, but the attempt got someone's attention. "G ... Gavros?" came from the other side. "Is that you? I'd almost given up hope. Let me get the door." It opened then, and the man behind it looked startled. "What the - who are you? What have you done with Gavros?"

Yssha bowed her head briefly, remembering the man in the entryway. "I fear your friend Gavros is dead."

"It was the Falmer, wasn't it?" the Synod man said, rather than really asked. "Curse them! They're ruined everything. If Gavros is gone, there's no hope. He was supposed to return with the crystal. Without that, all our efforts are wasted. And you. If you're here for treasure, or wisdom, anything, you're wasting your time."

"What is this about a crystal?" Yssha asked, hoping to learn more.

"It didn't work the first time. I tried to tell Gavros, but he wouldn't listen. 'No, it isn't too cold,' he said. But I was right, wasn't I? Focused completely wrong by the time we got here. The cold had warped it. Gavros had to haul it back to Cyrodiil. Left the rest of us here to face the damnable Falmor."

Yssha spoke softly. "My friend Serana happens to have found a focusing crystal." At her gesture, Serana extended it to the researcher. "Is this what you are looking for?"

"You found it! How in the world - that's it, that's it! I don't know who you are, but you nmight just have saved this little project. In fact, who are you, anyway?"

Yssha shrugged. "I am Dragonborn Yssha of Ysshaya, on a vital mission for the College of Winterhold."

His expression went from mildly offended to neutral, apparently with an effort. "You are, are you? I didn't recognize you in that armor. Your College wouldn't grant us an audience, but now you come here - " He broke off, and gestured the team to follow him, chatting about his mission without really saying anything useful. He led them into a chamber that reminded Yssha very much of the place she'd gained the Dragon Elder Scroll, where he handed her the focusing crystal. "It's very important you do this correctly."

When she had no idea how? Yssha thought. "I ask your guidance, Lord Talos," she murmured, softly enough no one else could hear.

_Relax, then, and I will_, an affectionate not-voice said. When she did, she was guided down from the control panel to the top of the sphere, where she placed the focus crystal where it belonged, then cast alternating Flames and Frostbite until the beams from the central crystal were each centered on the proper band on the ... ceiling ... ? above her.

_Now push the buttons on the pedestals until the beams are aimed at the lenses in their respective bands_.

Yssha obeyed, and when the alignment was completed, heard a grumpy comment from below. "These results aren't what they're supposed to be."

She descended and joined the researcher. "You have a problem?"

"Yes." He came close to growling. "What have you done? Do you even know what we were attempting? Are you here to make sure your plans work?

"I have no idea what you are talking about, truly."

Paratus frowned. "Either you're lying, which is difficult to believe about the Dragonborn, or you are ignorant. This map shows two immensely powerful magical sources, one of which is at your College of Winterhold. What is that?

"I can think of only one thing, and that is the Eye of Magnus, which we found beneath Saarthal."

"The Eye of Magnus?" Paratus looked both confused and impressed. "Well. There seems to be a related artifact at Labyrinthian. At least it is of at least equal power, so it could be what you seek."

"Thank you." He'd been reluctant, but he had helped, so that was only proper. "We shall leave you to your research, then."

They left, walking down the ramp until they came to a door on the right. Hoping it was a shortcut out, they took that route, and discovered it was. But as they were getting ready to leave, Yssha saw the same Psijic who had spoken to her at Saarthal.

"You have done well thus far," he said, "but trying times are ahead. It is imperative that you return to your college at once. You will be called on to take swift action. Rise to the challenge, and discover what you are capable of. You are on the right path, and you will prevail."

Then he vanished. She told her companions what he'd said, and they were soon outside Mzulft. She debated teleporting, but decided it would actually be faster to fly, since Odahviing could land in the courtyard, rather than them having to walk from her teleport target outside the town.

Minutes later they were looking at Savos and Mirabelle studying a barrier that blocked off the Hall of Elements. They were continuing a discussion.

"I don't know," Mirabelle said. "It's like a ward, but who's casting it? Ancano? How?"

"I don't care what it is," the Arch-Mage said. "I want it down now! I want to know what he's doing in there!"

Both of them began casting spells at the barrier. There wasn't room for Yssha's team to join in without risking hitting the other two, so they waited until the barrier went down, then followed Savos and Mirabelle inside.

When they got to Ancano, Mirabelle demanded, "What's going on?"

At the same time, Savos said, "Ancano! Stop this at once! I command you!"

Mirabelle called out, "Don't go near him!"

Then Ancano did something that made a bright flash, and everything went black. When Yssha regained consciousness, Mirabelle was speaking to her.

"Are you all right? Can you walk? I need you on your feet. We're in trouble here."

"I am fine. I just need to catch my breath."

When she did, and was able to regain her feet, she saw Mirabelle slumped against a pillar, obviously shaken. "Ancano is doing something with that thing... the Eye. We can't stop him! I haven't seen Savos since the explosion. He must've been blown clear, and he may be injured. I need you to find the Arch-Mage, and I need you to do it quickly. Get moving!"

As soon as she and her team entered the courtyard, she saw a group of mages, and approached to find they were standing over the Arch-Mage's body. She heard Nevan curse in a language she didn't understand before Tolfdir turned to her.

"Whatever killed him has also affected the town of Winterhold. I would like you to go down and help them."

"Of course, Master Tolfdir." Yssha headed down the causeway, pausing on the way to recruit Faralda and Arniel Gane. When they reached the town, they were bombarded by balls of light that used magic to attack them. With six in the counterattack, defeating them didn't take long, and they were soon back at the College.

She went to check on Mirabelle, finding her in the Hall of the Elements, looking considerably better. "Well? Is everything out there all right?"

"Yes - the town is safe." And she had several more soul gems, thanks to the whatever-they-weres.

"Wish I could say the same for us. Tolfdir and I can try and keep this contained. You need to get your hands on the Staff of Magnus. Now."

"Do you really think the Staff will help?"

"You were told to find it, weren't you? If the stories about the staff are true, if it really can absorb a tremendous amount of power, maybe we can break through Ancano's magic."

"True. Then we are off to Labyrinthian."

"What? Are you ... Are you sure? The staff is there? That can't be a coincidence."

"Yes, I am sure. That is the location we found at Mzulft."

"Savos. Before ... before he died." She hesitated briefly, then continued, "He ... He gave me something just a little while ago. He told me it was from Labyrinthian, and that I would know what to do with it when the time came. I think ... I think he meant this for you, then. I'm not sure why, but there was something very personal about it for him. Also, I think you should take this amulet. It belonged to Savos, but I think would do you the most good now. Take it, and get out of here. Bring back that staff before Ancano brings the whole College down around us."

Yssha accepted torc and amulet, then Mirabelle spoke again.

"If we can't stop this, what happens to the rest of Skyrim?"

Nothing good, Yssha was sure, but it would have to wait until the next day. They had already been through one dungeon, and needed sleep. Good as stamina potions were, they couldn't replace food and sleep.


	53. The Staff and the Eye

Chapter 53 - The Staff and the Eye

As they approached Labyrinthian, Yssha caught her breath in awe. It was badly damaged, almost in ruins, but even now, tremendous. In its glory, she thought, it must have been magnificent!

When they landed and dismounted, she turned to Odahviing. "Did you get to see this place before it was damaged?"

"Indeed, before this version was even built," he said, surprising her. "During what you call the Merethic Era, this was the location of Bromjunaar, the glorious city that was the capital of Skyrim during our rule and that of our priests."

"Bromjunaar was real?" Marcurio asked, his fascination obvious. "There's been a lot of disagreement about that. When we have more time, will you tell me about it, please? It would be a tremendous addition to our historical knowledge, especially from a primary source."

"Gladly. It will also show this era's people that we were not considered uncivilized beasts. If you have an artist, I can describe it well enough to provide illustrations as well."

Marcurio practically drooled at that, and Nevan showed interest as well. Yssha had to break Marcurio's historical trance, though, so she cleared her throat. "We do have a rather urgent task at the moment, beloved. That has to come first."

He shook himself. "Yes ... yes, of course."

Rather to Yssha's disappointment, Odahviing's presence had apparently scared away the trolls that inhabited these ruins - their fat was valuable for alchemy - and they made it to the entrance unopposed.

It was huge and impressive, despite being at the top of more stairs than Yssha cared for. Of course it was, being Skyrim, she thought. The two seemed to go together ...

When they entered, they saw a group of ghostly figures, including a youthful Savos Aren. "Come on," he said. "we're finally here! Let's not waste any more time!"

The Argonian sounded dubious. "Are we truly sure this is a good idea?"

"We'll be back at the College before anyone even knows we're gone," the Redguard said.

"You would care about that, since you're the Arch-Mage's favorite!" The Bosmer sounded bitter.

"Don't forget, this whole idea was Atmah's to begin with," Savos reminded them.

The Nord was impatient. "Let's just get inside, see what's in there."

The specters vanished, and Yssha's team moved forward. The torc she'd been given proved to be a magical key, fitting into a slot in the large door behind where the specters had been, and then turning into a knocker.

Once they entered the chamber, the specters appeared again,

The Dunmer said, "I can't believe we're doing this."

Savos chuckled. "Can you imagine the looks on their faces when we come back?"

The Nord said, "You keep talking like you're sure we'll find something useful in here."

"Given the history of this place," the Bosmer said, "it's more than likely there's still some amount of power here."

Savos was obviously excited. "Enchanted weapons, tomes of ancient knowledge, Shalidor's secrets themselves - who knows what we could find!"

"And what if ... What if there are things guarding this place?" the Argonian wanted to know.

The Redguard was more confident. "Against six College-trained mages? I think we'll be fine."

There was a set of double doors ahead, then a lever that raised a portcullis just long enough for one person to get through. Yssha went first, and was promptly dodging arrows and fighting skeletons. A strong "Fus Ro Dah!" threw them back far enough for the other three to get into the huge room safely and start targeting the archers at the far end.

Then a dragon skeleton got into the act, and Yssha had to replace her mace with Dragonbane, concentrating on it while her team handled the human ones. Other than Alduin, she quickly decided this was the most difficult dragon she'd fought, with no real vital areas. It was more a case of hacking it apart or otherwise shattering it with a combination of Dragonbane and Unrelenting Force, but she was finally successful, as was her team. They took time to heal various injuries, then went on. In the next room, the specters appeared again, but one was missing.

The Dunmer was upset. "We ... we have to go back. We can't leave Girduin ... "

"We barely made it out alive, and you want to go back in?" the Nord asked in disbelief.

"It's too late," the Redguard said. "There isn't enough of him left to go back in after."

"Gods, what have we done?" the Argonian said.

Savos was still determined. "We can't go back. Might as well go forward. We can still do this."

The Redguard woman nodded agreement. "Savos is right. We can make it if we just stay alert."

When the specters vanished again, Yssha's team went down a flight of steps, where a door was frozen shut. "Wo meyz wah diil vul junar?" a disembodied voice asked, and Yssha felt her magica drain. She hastily asked the rest, "How is your magica?"

She had been drained, Marcurio and Nevan weakened, and Serana had noticed nothing. Interesting, then, but as long as the other three could still function magically, they would be all right.

Then Nevan asked, "What was that voice, and what did it say?"

"I do not know what it was," Yssha replied. "But what it said was, 'Who comes to undead dark kingdom?'"

A Flame spell opened the frozen door, and they came face to face with a number of draugr Deathlords, who took time and inflicted a few wounds. After healing themselves and exploring a nearby room, where they found a spell tome for Equilibrium, which she'd never heard of, they continued down a narrow ramp with more Deathlords. The mysterious voice spoke again. "Nivahriin muz fent siiv nid aaz het."

Yssha translated before anyone asked. "Cowardly humans will find no mercy here."

She was drained of magica again. As long as the others weren't completely drained, there was no damage done, and if she needed a distance attack she could always Shout, but it was annoying.

They continued, fighting various types of draugr along the way and collecting plenty of small loot - this promised to be a very profitable run! As they came to a door, the mystery voice spoke again. "You do not answer... Must I use this guttural language of yours?"

The dungeon was surprisingly straightforward, for something named Labyrinthian, so they continued fighting and looting their way along, interrupted every so often by the mysterious voice and its magica-draining effect.

"Have you returned, Aren? My old friend?"

"Do you seek to finish that which you could not?"

More draugr, then a room with wisps and a Wispmother, which yielded a couple of rare ingredients.

"You only face failure once more..."

"You... You are not Aren, are you? Has he sent you in his place?"

Hah! Yssha thought. About time whoever it was realized that!

A door sealed with fire was next, and the voice yet again.

"Did he warn you that your own power would be your undoing? That it would only serve to strengthen me?"

Fortunately, Yssha thought, magic was the least of her powers, and she had strong backup for that one. A fire spirit showed up, and Serana neutralized it with her ice spikes, then Marcurio cast Frostbite to unseal the door.

In the next room, they saw the specters again, with Savos encouraging the rest. "Come on, we can't stop now. We have to keep moving!"

"Where's Elvali?" the Redguard asked. "She was right behind me."

"Dead," the Nord said grimly. "Something grabbed her from behind. Gone before I could do anything."

"This is insanity," the Argonian put in. "We never should've come here."

The Redguard sighed. "You're right. This is all my fault. Should we turn around, head back?"

The Nord shook his head. "I don't think going back is a good idea."

Savos agreed. "Going back would be the end of all of us. We keep pushing forward, and we'll make it. We will!"

The Redguard woman nodded, looking resigned. "Come on, we can make it. Let's go."

The next room was guarded by a skeleton, a Spectral Warhound and a ghostly draugr wight. And that Divines-cursed voice again: "Come, face your end."

Once those were taken care of, the team went through a passage to find more draugr wights.

A little bit past the next door, they ran into more enemies and found a spell tome of Steadfast Ward, which she gave to Nevan. He was rapidly becoming an accomplished Destruction mage, but he didn't have dragon armor yet, so some good defensive spells could be vital.

They went down some stairs, dodging a lightning rune on a landing halfway down, then saw the soul gems on pedestals that were spellcaster traps. She took the opportunity to try a technique she'd worked out that seemed promising since they were never aimed at each other.

Signalling the rest to wait, she used "Feim" to get beside one, waited till she rematerialized to grab the gem powering it, "Feim" again to get beside the next, and repeated that until all five were inert and she had five more soul gems. Then she called the others to join her, pleased with her success.

They went on, and yet again she felt the magica drain, though she heard nothing. So she just kept going, and opened the next set of doors. There was what looked like a draugr Death Overlord on a throne facing away from her. Quietly, she led her team to one side, where they were all able to launch ranged attacks on her signal. That done, she was free to go to the Word Wall to the southeast of the throne and learn Klo, Sand, the second word of the Slow Time Shout.

Next was a corridor with a series of columns on each side. A number of skeletons and ghostly draugr attacked, at the same time the magica drain struck yet again. Yssha was accustomed to fighting her way through dungeons, and really didn't mind normal enemies, but this random drain was another matter entirely. If she weren't primarily a melee fighter, it would have been worse, but between that and her Shouts, she was in good shape, just becoming increasingly annoyed.

At the other end of the corridor, the spectral Savos and his two remaining companions were having what sounded to Yssha like a final discussion.

"We shouldn't have left her there to die!" the Redguard said.

"What else could we do?" Savos demanded. "Stay there and die with her? She refused to go on, we didn't have a choice!"

"This is it, you know," the Nord said. "Through this door. Can you feel it?"

"We're not going to make it, are we?" the Redguard asked wearily.

The Nord said, "We stay together, no matter what. Agreed?"

"I'll be right with you," the Redguard agreed.

"Agreed. We all stay together," Savos said.

When the specters vanished, Yssha opened the door slightly to see what they would be getting into.

It looked like two mages feeding power to someone who looked dismayingly like a Dragon Priest. That was not good, though she and Marcurio had taken a couple down already, and they'd added Nevan and Serana since, so it might not be as bad as she feared. She closed the door, and turned to the team. "Nevan, there are two mages above us and to the left. It looks like they are feeding energy to a Dragon Priest's shield. Your bow is the least obvious of our ranged weapons, so would you see if you can kill the mages from here?"

He nodded. "Let me take a look." He opened the door a crack, and looked through, then turned back with a grin. "No problem, thuri. Just say when."

"Very good. When you have done that, we go up, trying for a height advantage. Dragon Priests are powerful, and seem to prefer avoiding melee combat, but we are four to his one, so I anticipate no extreme difficulty." She smiled at her vahriin. "Whenever you are ready."

Nevan readied his bow, nocking an arrow. When he was ready, he nodded, and Serana opened the door. Two arrows in rapid succession, and two dead mages, then up the stairs to a position slightly above where the Dragon Priest had been.

He attacked, holding a ward spell against both physical and magical attacks, but the four of them were able to get to him more often than the other way around. When his defenses started to weaken, Yssha waded in with her mace, battering him until he went down. As she was recovering his mask and the Staff of Magnus, the rest joined her, grinning. "Ain't teamwork wonderful!" Nevan exclaimed.

Once Yssha caught her breath, she ageed. "Indeed it is! Is everyone well?"

She got nods from all three, and smiled. "Excellent. Let us return to the College, then."

On the way out, they saw Savos once more, apologizing. " ... I'm sorry, friends. I'm so sorry! I had no choice! It was the only way to make sure that monster never escaped! I promise you, I'll never let this happen again! I'll seal this whole place away ... "

As they entered the next room, a Thalmor in mage robes entered from the far door. Three spells and a Fire Breath Shout hit him immediately, and there wasn't enough left of him to loot.

Odahviing had to drop them off at the bottom of the causeway to the College, because it was surrounded by a magical barrier. Partway up, the team found Tolfdir, Faralda, and Arniel Gane battling the energy balls she'd found out were called magic anomalies. The team joined the battle, and the anomalies were soon gone.

Yssha turned to Tolfdir. "What is going on?"

"Look for yourself. Ancano's power is growing. We can't crack whatever magic he's using to shield himself. I hope your trip to Labyrinthian was worth it."

"It was," she replied. "We killed the Dragon Priest and recovered the Staff of Magnus. Where is Mirabelle?"

"I'm afraid she's dead, my dear. She was killed making sure everyone could escape from Ancano." Tolfdir sighed. "You have the staff. If it can help us get inside the College, and reach Ancano, we'll have to hope there's a way to stop all this."

"Very well." Yssha raised the Staff of Magnus and used it on the barrier, which went down immediately. The group ran for the Hall of the Elements, where Ancano was somehow opening the Eye.

He turned to them. "You've come for me, have you?, You think I don't know what you're up to? You think I can't destroy you? The power to unmake the world at my fingertips, and you think you can do anything about it?"

Tolfdir cast a spell at the Thalmor, but it had no effect, and Ancano sneered. "I am beyond your pathetic attempts at magic. You cannot touch me."

"Use the Staff on the Eye!" Tolfdir shouted. Yssha did, and it began to close.

"Enough!" Ancono exclaimed, casting Paralysis at Tolfdir, who fell. "Still you persist? Very well. Come then. See what I can do now."

The Eye opened fully, and Ancano cast lightning bolts at Yssha. She retaliated with Unrelenting Force, but it had no effect, and she flashed back to the fight with Jyrik Gauldursun under Saarthal, where the Eye had fed him energy until Tolfdir somehow stopped it. Tolfdir was out of action, so she'd have to use the Staff to close the eye and keep it closed, trusting the rest to take care of Ancano while he was vulnerable.

She concentrated on that, barely aware of the battle going on around her. There were magic anomalies, she thought, but couldn't take her attention away from Staff and Eye, except to heal herself and keep the Staff charged, praying she had enough soul gems to outlast Ancano.

The others quickly realized what she was doing. Marcurio and Serana joined with Faralda, attacking Ancano whenever the Eye closed. Arniel had gone down, and Nevan was doing his best to protect his thur from the anomalies since it was obvious she couldn't break her concentration long enough to do it herself.

Ancano weakened, slowly, taunting them with comments about his invincibility even as his struggles became more desperate. At last, though, he screamed, "Nooo ... " and collapsed.

Yssha was exhausted, and with the strain suddenly relaxed, came close to collapsing herself, unsure how she managed to remain on her feet. To her relief, Marcurio hurried over to support her, and Tolfdir rose unsteadily, then helped Arniel up and approached. "I knew you could do it!"

"What ... what do we do now?" Yssha asked, once she caught her breath.

"I ... I don't know," Tolfdir replied. "Ancano is gone, but whatever he's done to the Eye doesn't seem to have stopped. I have no idea what to do!"

Quaranir and several other Psijics appeared, apparently from thin air, and he approached Yssha. "We knew you would succeed. Your victory here justifies our belief in you. You have proven yourself more than worthy to guide the College of Winterhold."

Yssha repeated the question she'd asked Tolfdir. "What do we do now?"

"The Eye has grown unstable. It cannot remain here, or else it may destroy your College and this world. It must be secured. Ancano's actions prove that the world is not ready for such a thing. We shall safeguard it ... for now. You now have the opportunity to maintain your College, and carry on with your lives. You have our gratitude, Arch-Mage."

Once the Psijics and Eye were gone, Tolfdir approached her, smiling. "You've done it! The College is safe again, thanks to your work. I knew you had it in you."

He paused. "I daresay the Psijics are right. There is no one more deserving to be Arch-Mage, in my opinion." He handed her a set of robes. "Here, consider these yours. And the Arch-Mage's quarters, as well. I shall be here for advice if you need me."

Yssha was dubious. "Are you sure, Master Tolfdir? I am the weakest mage on my team, not to mention the lack of time and attention I will be able to give to the job. You are far more qualified than I."

Tolfdir was grinning. "I am quite sure, my dear. Those robes will boost your magica, and spell tomes will quickly remedy your lack of knowledge. As for your lack of time, I will be happy to handle the day-to-day affairs of the College as Master Wizard, just as Mirabelle handled them for Savos."

"In that case, I accept." Yssha smiled. Greats-Grandmother would find it amusing that her magically-limited descendant had acquired that title - she did, herself - but she would be proud anyway, and that pleased Yssha no end.


	54. A Visit by Grams

Chapter 54 - A Visit by Grams

_Author's Note: I named my characters well before I even contemplated doing fanfic in the ES universe. So when I decided to name Yssha after my Oblivion character Ysshaya, it was no problem for me, since they'd never meet. Now that they're both in the story, it could become a problem. I hope this makes it better for readers._

Partsu - An interesting idea, but given my personal feelings about the DB, probably not. Yssha would just have to go after them again. Plus I'm having enough trouble with what's going on about ten chapters upstream ...

* * *

When they got home that evening, the dragon on guard duty grinned at them. "Drem, Dovahkiin. You have company inside."

"Drem," Yssha replied politely. "Do you know who it is?"

"She named herself Ysshaya."

"Grams!" Yssha slid off Odahvinng, and ran inside, followed by her team.

"Grams?" Marcurio chuckled.

"Yes." The Champion of Cyrodiil met them, grinning. "I'm that to all the little ones, except on formal occasions." She turned to her descendant. "How is everything, youngster?"

"Not bad, Grams," Yssha replied. "I just defeated a Thalmor idiot mage, and the Psijics named me Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold. Yes, me. How did you get here?"

Ysshaya laughed. "Dragonback, how else? Used the red signal, and one of your Skyguard patrols from Northwatch Keep investigated. They were willing to bring me here. On the way, we stopped to rescue some prisoners from a Thalmor column. Your men were kind enough to let me have a couple of them."

"Do you have any particular reason for coming, or is this just a visit? You are more than welcome either way, of course."

"A little bit of both," Ysshaya said. "I wanted to see how you were doing - pretty well, from this house and property. And I need to learn more about this Dragonborn thing, since Titus is planning to use me for liaison with Elsweyr, High Rock, and Hammerfell, maybe Morrowind and Black Marsh later. He'd send you, but it's more important that you do the things only you can."

"Oh, we are doing very well," Yssha said. "I have homes in every Hold except Whiterun and Winterhold; I gave the Whiterun one to my Housecarl when she was disabled in battle and got married. If I need to stay there, I have an apartment in Dragonsreach. Winterhold is so diminished by the Great Collapse that there is nothing available there."

"It sounds like we won't need to send equivalency stipends for any who do their adventuring here, then."

"True," Yssha agreed. "This is my primary home, but that leaves six for adventurers to use. Assuming it remains wild enough for adventuring, that is."

Grams chuckled. "Oh, it will. Oblivion, Cyrodiil is the most sedate of the provinces, and quite a few still do their year there. You'll always have bandits, necromancers, wild animals and the like. Pickings may not be as rich, but still plenty for adventurers to do."

"Well, so how would you like to learn about what I do and am like? I could tell you, of course, but if you would care to come out of retirement for a week or so - ?"

"I was hoping you'd ask. Doing is the best way to learn something, after all."

"The only problem is that the dragon who insists on carrying me can only hold four, so we will need to use two."

"Maybe not," Nevan said. "I'd like to spend some time at the College training, so unless you object, she can take my place. I can also make use of the Library there to learn more about this world."

"Make that 'us', Serana said. "I've got four thousand-plus years of history to catch up on myself, and I'm not doing much of that doing dungeon runs."

"You should have said something," Yssha said. "Much as I appreciate your company and help, it is important for both of you to know this world as it is now, and my first months here were with only Marcurio at my back. Certainly, study with my blessings. If Urag threatens you with atronachs, ignore it, but do treat his books like delicate things, for they are his passion."

"Honest-to-gods paper books?" Nevan nodded. "Don't worry. Most of the 'books' in my world were electronic and easily replaceable, but ones on paper were common enough I know how to treat them. We'll leave in the morning, then, and get the guard dragon to give or find us a ride."

"That sounds well. Take as long as you need; I expect to spend most nights here, as usual. Or will you be coming back in the evening as well?"

Nevan shook his head. "Serana may, but I plan to stay at the College. I'm pretty sure Urag will let me use that storeroom again, and with the warmth enchantment on my armor, the cold there won't be a problem."

Serana smiled, a little. "I think I'll stay, as well. Using a dragon to travel back and forth for convenience, instead of on missions, seems selfish, especially as the patrol area increases."

"Okay, what's this with a guard dragon?" Ysshaya asked. "It seems like overkill, out here away from any town."

"My first dragon vahriin insisted on it," Yssha replied. "It does no harm, and it keeps him and my commanders happy. Besides, we do have feral dragons still, and giants, and Ahkrinbo's team cleared out a too-close bandit nest I was unaware of."

Grams shook her head sadly. "Has your situational awareness degraded that much?"

Yssha was indignant. "I was unaware because they did not show themselves with the construction here going on!"

"Understood." Grams grinned. "Got you going, though, didn't I?"

Yssha knew better than to protest the unfairness, since Grams knew her every touchy point from her kittenhood, and that would simply have gotten something like, "So? _Life_ isn't fair. Deal with it!"

Which was true, and not likely to change to match her preferences. So she changed the subject. "I believe I need to know as many Shouts as possible before the Second Great War becomes much more open, so I was planning to visit Master Arngeir in the morning and ask for a location."

"I'm your student this time," Grams said, shocking her. "I don't know anything about Shouts, or Dragonborn." she paused. "Have you run into any Daedric Princes?

"Nocturnal, yes. I am, in a very limited way, a Nightingale, but she was not allowed to claim me beyond the limited bit required to return her artifact. I cannot be sure, but I believe one or two others may have been discouraged from contacting me, and that I have been guided away from others."

"Discouraged?" Grams looked disbelieving. "Tell me!"

"Well, I was in the Bannered Mare inn in Whiterun, when a man named Sam Guevenne proposed a drinking contest. I was going to refuse, but before I could, he left."

"Sam Guevenne?" Grams laughed. "That's Sanguine. Consider yourself fortunate that he backed off. His tricks tend to be nasty."

"Which is why you warned us against getting involved with any of them," Yssha said. "You know Talos has spoken to me."

"Yes - everyone does. I would suspect Akatosh/Martin is keeping an eye on you as well, though he hasn't said."

Yssha sighed. "And you warned me against coming to the Divines' attention, at well. I do not seem to have been terribly successful, there."

"When They decide to take an interest, you don't have a whole lot of choice," Grams pointed out.

"Also true," Yssha said. "Well, I am for supper, then bed. You will meet my mentors tomorrow."

* * *

It was a beautiful day when the Dragonborn, Marcurio, and the Champion of Cyrodiil emerged from Lakeview Manor. Odahviing understood her usual schedule, so he was waiting when they went outside. He nodded to them, and greeted Ysshaya. "It is an honor to meet Dovahkiin's illustrious ancestress."

I'm honored as well. We didn't get to meet at Imperial City, so I'm pleased at this opportunity." She grinned. "Yssha was named after me, and a lot of people have trouble keeping our names straight, so feel free to call me Grams, like she does most of the time."

Odahviing cocked his head. "Dov are not usually so informal, but perhaps I will; the names are very similar. I understand Vuljotnaak brought you here, so you are familiar with flight."

Grams nodded. "And I enjoy it. If I get sent on as many diplomatic missions as I think the Emperor has planned for me, I'll probably beg for dragon transport. Any place I've been, I can teleport to, but my first trip out of Cyrodiil wasn't until a bit over a month ago."

"We generally have several unpartnered dragons, and you are here, so you can come back. Do so whenever you wish such transport, and it will be provided. Dovgrahaak and I handle such assignments."

"Thank you, I'll do that."

He turned his attention to Yssha. "Where to, Dovahkiin?"

"Grams needs to learn about me, so unless you know where there's a Word Wall I haven't visited, High Hrothgar to speak to Master Arngeir."

"Since I do not know all the ones you know, that would probably be best." He turned his attention back to Grams. "I hope you have a warmth enchantment on that armor. It is quite cold up there."

"I do; Yssha warned me and let me use her arcane enchanter. I'm fine."

"It is well. Mount, and we go."

Yssha grinned when Grams stood before High Hrothgar. She'd tried to describe it the previous evening, but no description could do it justice. "Not pretty, but impressive, as you said," Grams commented. "Why even monks would build in such a hostile place is beyond me, but then we've all done things others wouldn't understand."

"I shall wait," Odahviing said. "Your talks with Arngeir are usually quite brief."

"Unless Grams gets curious," Yssha said.

"I will take the chance," Odahviing said drily. "If I begin getting bored, I will leave until you call me."

Yssha led the way into the building, bowing when she saw Master Wulfgar. "I introduce my greats-grandmother, the Champion of Cyrodiil. Can you point us to Master Arngeir?"

He nodded, then beckoned them to follow him to the dining area, where the other three were gathered at the table. Yssha repeated her introduction, then asked, "Have you heard more Words of Power?"

"We have felt the whisper of a Word. Give me your map, and I will show you where its echo can be found." He did so, then looked at her thoughtfully. "You asked me your destiny, once, but I could not tell you. I believe you have found it, Dovahjud. You have replaced Alduin, returning the dov to their intended course."

"Yes," she replied. "Odahviing was granted an insight to that effect. It is ... difficult to accept, and I pray daily to Talos and Akatosh that I be preserved from his corruption. I would appreciate your prayers to that effect as well."

"You will have them, Dovahkiin. To Kynareth and the rest." He paused. "It would do no harm to ask for such prayers at any temple you visit. The Nine answer prayers, but they do wish to be asked."

Yssha bowed. "I shall, then, Master."

"And so will I," Grams put in. "Since I'm the Divine Crusader, Temple priests are pretty willing to listen to me."

"But he also said that we would not have Divine intervention in the war, because if we handled it properly, we would not need it, and most things are left to us. As I think it should be. I am ... less than comfortable with the intervention I have been receiving, but I must confess, I have needed it."

Grams chuckled. "I'm pretty sure if you wanted it, you'd get less. But They have Their own purposes, too, and we know one of those is restoring the Empire to the glory it had before the Oblivion Crisis." She paused, thinking. "Maybe more so, with dovah help, in spite of the natural disasters we've been hit with."

Yssha nodded, then studied her map. "It looks like we're going to Shroud Hearth Barrow, just outside Ivarstead. That is right at the base of this mountain, but we will fly down; it is a long way, even downhill."

"You're the expert here, not me. We do it your way." Grams cocked her head. "To go off on a tangent, Marcurio, you look like an Imperial boy I knew. May I ask your full name?"

Marcurio shrugged. "Sure, why not? Marcurio Marcellus, formerly Julian."

"I thought you might be. You've matured nicely, young man." Grams grinned. "I think your father's starting to regret disinheriting you, now that you've turned into a legend along with my greats-granddaughter. Want me to talk to him next time I'm in Skingrad?"

Marcurio looked thoughtful. "I'm still not too happy with that, but ... I'd love to see my mother and sibs again. So please do."

"Consider it done. Now, shall we get to this barrow of yours?"

Yssha bowed to Master Arngeir and took their leave, exiting High Hrothgar to find Odahviing still waiting. He gape-grinned at them. "Good timing, thuri," he said. "Where to?"

"Ivarstead will do. We are going to Shroud Hearth Barrow, but it is quite close."

"An easy glide. Mount up, and we go."

The barrow wasn't particularly difficult, just disappointing. The ghost proved to be a man using a potion to make him look like a phantom, and a journal that said he was doing it deliberately, trying to find some sort of treasure in the barrow. They took the journal and potion, though the last didn't look terribly useful, and went to the Vilemyr Inn to give it to Wilhelm. He seemed to be embarrassed at his gullibility, and gave them a sapphire dragon claw key.

Well, Yssha thought, that must be the key to allow them through the puzzle door that had stopped them before, and deeper into the barrow. She accepted it, and after a meal, the trio returned. As she'd expected, the claw got them through the door, and they made their way through the deeper section until they found themselves at the bottom of a winding stairway over a grated area.

Avoiding the grate, which they agreed was most likely a trap door, they climbed until they reached a locked door. Normally Yssha would have picked it herself, but Grams wanted to try, and succeeded - unsurprising, since she'd been an experienced thief herself. Behind the door was a chest with decent loot, which the two Khajiit split.

Next was a door with an arrow trap triggered by opening it, which they waited out. More treasure, then they were above a pool of oil with several skeletons. "I will handle this," Yssha said quietly. "One of my Shouts is Fire Breath. Do you want to see a sample, which is all that is really needed, or full power?"

"Full power, please," Grams said. "I need to be able to tell Titus exactly what you can do."

"All right." Yssha inhaled, then Shouted, "Yol Toor Shul!"

Grams watched as a tremendous flame erupted from her descendant's mouth, destroying the skeletons and igniting the oil pool. She waited till it burned out, then said, "Are you all right?"

"I am fine," Yssha said. "Shouting is natural for me. It does not hurt, it uses no magica, and it is practically effortless."

"And damned impressive," Grams added.

"Not all are that spectacular," Yssha said. "Some have no visible effect whatever, such as Become Ethereal. But all of them are effective."

They continued through the barrow, fighting draugr, solving puzzles, and finding loot, until they came to a room that had the distinctive chanting of a Word Wall.

"What's that?" Grams asked.

"The normal way for me to learn parts of a Shout," Yssha replied, approaching the Wall. When she was within range, the blue-illuminated Word of Power pushed its way into her.

"Okay, I am now officially out of my depth," Grams said.

Marcurio chuckled. "That's nothing. Just wait till you see her Shout a dragon out of the sky and kill it."

She gave him a blank look. "What happens then?"

Yssha wanted to tell her to wait and see, but this was _Grams_, so she answered. "It dissolves in flames, and I absorb its soul. Until recently, that was the only way for me to understand a Shout well enough to use it. But either I have absorbed enough to understand without having to kill, or Bormahu - Akatosh - has granted me that understanding."

"Uh-huh. So what does that wall say, and what did you learn?"

"It translates as 'Here lies the body of Hela, friend to all beasts, servant of Kyne. May she find eternal rest in the Forest of Dreams.' I learned Kaan, a word of the Kyne's Peace shout."

"And Kyne is - ?"

"Kynareth, in Cyrodiil." Yssha found the chest that usually stood at a Word Wall and emptied it. "That is all, for here," she said. "There is usually a back door or shortcut out of Nord locations, so we do not have to backtrack."

"Over here," Marcurio called, and they joined him at a door that proved to be a shortcut to the first area, close to the entrance.

They stopped by High Hrothgar again on the way home, to get another Word Wall location, but decided to leave that for the following day. Yssha saw no urgency in getting them all immediately, since she was sure that even with dragon assistance, the Second Great War would last probably years. She could do other things that needed doing, unless the Emperor needed her for something. But Grams needed to see what happened when she killed a dragon, and Ancient's Ascent sounded like the kind of place they would find one.


	55. At the College

Chapter 55 - At the College

On their arrival at the College of Winterhold, Nevan and Serana traded their armor for mage robes and were assigned rooms, then - since both were primarily oriented toward the Destruction school - assigned Faralda as their mentor. They would be working with the other Masters as well, if only to learn basic spells and what the various schools were capable of.

After meeting with Faralda, they went to the Hall of the Elements to practice for a few hours, and mingle with the other students, then after a lunch break, they went up to the Arcaneum. Urag knew Nevan from his first stay, and greeted him with a smile. "Good greetings, warrior. Who's your friend?"

"Urag gro-Shub, Lady Serana Volkihar." Nevan returned the smile.

"Ah." Urag nodded. "The vampire who was shut away for millennia. So I'd guess you want history, but from when?"

"I remember it was during the Dragon Wars," Serana said. "According to Marcurio, that would be the late Merethic Era."

"Which is where I might as well start, too," Nevan said.

"Well, I don't have too much that's reliable from that long ago," Urag said, frowning. "Not a lot from the First Era, either, and only single copies of most of what I do have."

"That's fine," Nevan said. "It's not like detailed information from that long ago would be useful, so an overview just for background would be fine." He glanced at his companion. "Would you mind if we share the books? Otherwise it'll take twice as long."

Serana studied him for a moment. Despite his odd coloring, he was a handsome man, unfailingly polite, so it shouldn't be too bad. "That would be fine."

"Okay," Urag said, standing. "I'll find enough to hold you for the afternoon. Find yourselves a study area on the upper level and I'll bring them to you. If you need to discuss anything, keep it down so you don't disturb other researchers."

"Of course, and thank you." They found a table with two chairs and a reading lamp, rearranging it so the chairs were side-by-side. Not long after they seated themselves, Urag joined them with three books.

"Here, these should hold you for a few hours. An overview, like you wanted. These will take you into the Second Era."

"Thank you." Nevan took them, putting two toward the back of the table and opening the third. He'd wondered how they would get through three volumes in just a few hours, but that question answered itself quickly; the books were hand-written, not printed, and so nowhere as lengthy as he'd thought from their size.

The afternoon went quickly as they read, Nevan questioning Serana about words he didn't recognize. He learned as much that way as from the histories themselves, and by the time they decided to quit for the evening, he was sure his specific-to-here vocabulary had at least doubled.

When they returned the books, Urag smiled. "You two are the kind of patrons I like to have in here. What'll you be wanting for tomorrow?"

"If the books are about the same length," Serana said, "The rest of the Second Era, please, and maybe into the third."

"All right, I'll have them on your table by lunchtime."

After supper, the two found themselves at loose ends. They were too old to enjoy the students' discussions, and too ignorant to follow the instructors' conversations, so they finally found themselves in Serana's room. Nevan thought of it as more of a cubicle, given the lack of door covering, but he could understand the instructors not wanting the students experimenting behind closed doors. They undoubtedly got into quite enough trouble as it was!

Once they were settled, Serana sitting on the bed and Nevan on a chair nearby, he said, "If it isn't too personal, I'd like to learn a bit more about vampires in general, and you in particular. You don't act anything like our fictional ones."

"If you get too personal, I'll stop you, okay? And I get to ask you about your world and you, too."

"That's fair enough," Nevan agreed. "Um, were you always a vampire?"

"That's ... a long story," Serana said slowly.

"I'd really like to hear it."

"All right, but we have to go way back. To the very beginning. Do you know where vampirism came from?"

Nevan shook his head. "Here? I have no idea. Where I came from, we don't have vampires, at least not your kind, except in fiction and superstition, which have so many variants a scholar could spend days explaining them."

"It's simpler here. What do you know about the Daedra and their Princes?"

Nevan shrugged. "Not a great deal. Just that they sound an awful lot like what we referred to as demons - evil beings opposed to the god or gods of a given pantheon."

"Close enough, The one associated with vampires is Molag Bal, called King of Rape, Harvester of Souls, and the Lord of Brutality, among other things. The first vampire came from him. She... was not a willing subject. But she was still the first. He's one of the most powerful daedric lords, and his will is made reality. For those willing to subjugate themselves, he will still bestow the gift, but they must be powerful in their own right before earning his trust."

"How did you actually become a vampire, then?" Nevan asked curiously. "In our legends, it usually takes getting bitten by one."

"That's the commonest way here, too ... but those aren't pure vampires. Only Molag Bal can create those, in a ceremony on his summoning day." She hesitated, grimacing. "The ceremony was... degrading. Let's not revisit that. But we all took part in it. Not really wholesome family activity, but I guess it's something you do when you give yourselves to a daedric lord."

"Your whole family took part? How did it affect them?"

"Well, you've met two of us. My father's not exactly the most stable, and eventually he drove my mother crazy with him. She hid in the Soul Cairn after locking me away for all those millennia. It's definitely been a bad thing, on the whole."

"Are you all right?" Nevan asked, concerned.

Serana shrugged. "As all right as I can be with my father still at large, I suppose. It's been better since you three rescued me and let me join you. Being accepted and welcomed by normals despite what I am ... well, this is the first time it's happened since I was turned."

Nevan grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, it's not like you've been anything but helpful to us. And you limit your feedings to animals and people we'd have to kill anyway. To me, that's perfectly moral ... though I must point out that a lot of people in my universe would consider a lot of the things I did in the line of duty there not up to their standards of morality."

Serana chuckled. "True, from what I've picked up in the evening chats. But it sounded like you have limitations of your own, like being compelled to fight at least every five days."

"That's not exactly true," Nevan said slowly. "But I'd called Yssha a warrior woman ... I was afraid to ask her for the non-combat way she could've helped me, for fear of offending _her_ morality. And she's married."

Serana studied him quietly for several moments. "I think you're trying to tell me that sex works too."

Nevan glanced down briefly, then met her gaze. "Yes, but you're in no danger from me, and I'd rather you not mention that part to the others. We'll just go out and find a bandit den or some Thalmor when you're hungry or I need a fight."

Serana chuckled, not quite sure whether to be relieved or ... disappointed? "I'll keep your secret," she promised. "And Thalmor, by preference," she said. "At least they bathe!"

Nevan chuckled. "Good point. They're better fighters, too. The loot isn't as good, though."

"But the armor can go to the smaller members of the Skyguard."

They chatted for perhaps another hour, then Nevan excused himself to go to bed.

That routine repeated for the rest of their stay at the College. Magical study and practice in the morning, Arcaneum in the afternoon, and chatting in the evening before bed. They did take one day off to go Thalmor hunting, returning with Serana sated and Nevan carrying several suits of gilded elven armor. They called a dragon to carry that to the Skyguard quartermaster, then returned to their normal routine.

It wasn't until the evening before they were to return to Lakeview Manor that they returned to the subjects they'd discussed the first evening, and only then because the students and Tolfdir had gone down to the Frozen Hearth and the Hall of Attainment was otherwise deserted.

Serana had come to the conclusion that first evening that if she ever decided she wanted a relationship with Nevan to go beyond that level, it would have to be up to her to initiate it, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity. She wasn't quite sure how to do so, given his reserved nature, so she approached it sideways. "Now that we've seen each other in action several times, how do you think vampiric strength compares to yours?"

"Hmm?" That was an odd question, Nevan thought. "When you're in human form, probably about equal, with you having maybe a bit of an edge. When you're in Vampire Lord form, it's no contest; you could tear me apart without breaking a sweat. And that's just physical strength; it's not counting your other abilities."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

Nevan shrugged. "Why should it? It's a fact. If anything, I like it, the same way I like Yssha's Khajiit strength." He grinned. "Heck, both of you have fangs, so I'd lose a biting contest with either of you. Or a hand-to-hand where you used claws, for that matter."

Serana smiled, baring hers. "Yes, you would, wouldn't you? Don't worry, I won't use them on you unless you ask me to."

"No insult intended, but that isn't likely to happen." Nevan smiled, trying to take any sting out. "I like being human, thanks."

"I like you being human, too," Serana said. "I wonder ... " She let her voice trail off.

Nevan gave her time to finish, then prompted, "If it isn't prying, what do you wonder?"

"Pry? You?" Serana smiled. "I'm not sure you know how to pry. No, I'm just wondering if you consider us good enough friends that I could ask you for a personal favor."

Nevan raised an eyebrow. "You can always ask, my vampiric friend."

She hesitated. "This is a little difficult. Back when I was human, it was easy, with a family that was unconventional even then. I was ... how to put this delicately? I don't want to offend you, maybe lose the friendship we have."

"Take your time, but it's hard to offend a former field agent." Nevan couldn't help wondering what she was trying to get at.

"Um. yes." Serana grinned to herself. He was taking the bait very nicely. "I was, to use the colloquial term, 'quite a lusty wench'. I rarely went more than a day or two without inviting a man to my bed, and enjoying myself very much."

"I think I'm starting to get the idea." Nevan frowned. "I should think you'd be repelled by the thought after the ... ordeal where you were turned."

"I was, in the centuries between that and the day I was entombed," Serana said. "But I wasn't dead in there, just slowed down to a ... I suppose glacial degree. While I don't remember anything of that time clearly, I must have gotten over the trauma, because ... "

"Because you want to try again." Being propositioned was nothing new for a Sandeman warrior; quite a few Standard women wanted experience with such an "exotic" partner, and he had obliged several. Gods knew Serana was plenty attractive, but ... "On one condition. If you find it at all disturbing, let me know immediately, and I'll stop."

She was aware of the strength of his self-discipline, so she had no doubt he could and would, but she had no intention of saying anything unless it got really bad. "Agreed."

Nevan stood and held out a hand to her. "My room, then. That's not the sort of thing I do in public."

Of course he wouldn't. She took his hand and rose.

When Nevan woke the next morning, he was happier than he'd been since coming to this strange world. It had been strange making love to someone physically cool, but her responsiveness had been quite warm enough to make up for it. He rolled over to find she was asleep, so he slipped out of bed and grabbed his trousers for a trip to the garderobe.

He passed Serana on the way back, and smiled, then went back to his room to get into his armor and pack. It was wonderful to know he would no longer have to deny that part of himself, and she'd made it obvious she felt the same way. And her vampire strength meant he didn't have to treat her as cautiously as was necessary with a Standard woman, nor did she have to manage him as a w'woman sometimes had to, late in a warrior's cycle.

All in all, it had been a most satisfactory night, and he looked forward to more of the same.


	56. To the Blades

Chapter 56 - To the Blades

_Author's Note: Those of you who think I dislike Delphine are right, and Ysshaya likes her even less. Also, I had to use her proper name this time, because she sure isn't going to let current-day Blades call her Grams._

* * *

Yssha had Odaviing drop his riders off at the foot of Ancient's Ascent, outside Bonechill Passage. Since this was to be a demonstration, he would just watch, unless things went catastrophically wrong. Assuming, of course, one of the remaining feral dragons was lairing here. Even if so, they might have to wait, if it was hunting.

By the time the three neared the Word Wall, Yssha was beginning to believe they were going to be waiting, but as Raan pushed into her, she heard an angry dragon roar. "Dovahkiin! Hi dir daar sul!"

She turned, drawing Dragonbane, and Shouted, "Joor Zah Frul!"

It crashed to the ground maybe a hundred feet away. Marcurio began casting lightning at it while she ran forward. She stabbed into its throat as soon as she got close enough, then leaped onto its head when he lowered it to snap at her. That was its doom, because she could use Dragonbane to drive through its skull into its brain, and it collapsed under her.

She jumped off as it began disintegrating, murmuring a prayer for its soul as she'd done since ... what was it, the second or third one she'd killed? She wasn't sure it did any good, since the soul pushed into her as usual and she absorbed it, but it made her feel better.

She salvaged the bones, scales, and loot, then returned to the other two. Seconds later, Odahviing joined them.

"You made that look easy," Grams complimented her.

"Much easier than it was at first, before I learned the Dragonrend Shout," Yssha agreed. "Now I can use that, rather than having to rely on ranged weapon and spell attacks to bring one down. And Dragonbane was made and enchanted specifically to kill dragons, so as soon as I can get close enough, the fight ends quickly."

"It looks like an Akaviri katana."

"It is. Delphine said it was made for one of the early Dragonborns, then forgotten, along with the location of Sky Haven Temple."

"You've been there? I heard some tales about it when I was at Cloud Ruler Temple. Stories of the Akaviri carvings, and something called Alduin's Wall. I'd like to see it."

"Certainly," Yssha said. "I will take you to the entrance, but I would prefer not to go in. There are two surviving Blades there, and they want nothing to do with me since I refuse to kill Paarthurnax."

"Who's Paarthurnax? A friend of yours?"

"Friend and mentor," Yssha replied. "He is the Grandmaster of the Greybeards, a dragon who lives at the top of Throat of the World. He taught me the Fire Breath shout I showed you yesterday so I could greet him properly, and he could test my Thu'um, my dragon shout. And he enabled me to learn Dragonrend, which was essential to defeating Alduin, along with helping me with his defeat the first time we fought. Without his aid, Alduin would still be a soul-devouring menace both here and in Sovngarde.

"So I refuse to kill him, for what I consider very good reasons." Yssha cocked her head. "Nor do I consider them very good Blades, after the stories you told us. They claim to be sworn to serve and protect the Dragonborn, but even before we met, their Acting Grandmaster Delphine stole something I needed to take to the Greybeards, then refused to believe me until I killed a dragon for her.

"Nor have her attempts to manipulate me stopped, as in refusing me aid unless I kill Paarthurnax. At least Esbern believed me when I told him I was Dovahkiin."

"Oh really." Yssha winced at Grams' flat tone and laid-back ears. That meant bad trouble for someone, but she was pretty sure that it wasn't aimed at her, this time. "It looks like I need to 'port home and change into my Blades gear before we go visiting. I'll meet you back at Lakeview." She vanished.

"I think we have just been given marching orders," Odahviing said, sounding amused. "Your ancestress is a formidable woman, thuri. I think we had best obey." He extended his wing.

"Yes, she is, and we should indeed." She and Marcurio mounted.

About half an hour later, Grams arrived at Lakeview Manor, clad in polished Imperial Dragon armor. "I changed my mind," Grams said at Yssha's quizzical look. "Blades armor is all over the place, but Ocato had this made especially for me after Martin ... rejoined Akatosh. Let's go."

It wasn't long before they landed at the Karthspire, and Yssha led the other two inside, to the entrance to Sky Haven Temple. Grams turned to her. "I think you should come along, youngster, because I'm about to pull rank, and I think you'd enjoy seeing it. You lead the way, and if this Delphine gets on your case, I'll take over."

"Yes, Grams." Yssha was faintly amused at the way ingrained obedience to Grams took over from her reluctance. She led the way into the Temple and the Alduin's Wall room, where Delphine, Esbern, and two others in Blades armor were chatting at the table.

Delphine saw her and rose. "Have you come to tell us you've killed Paarthurnax?"

"No. As I told you, that is something I will never do."

"Then why in Oblivion are you here? You know you aren't welcome."

Grams stepped forward. "She's here because I asked her to come." She glared at Delphine, then at Esbern. "You refuse to serve the Dragonborn as you're sworn to? How dare you call yourselves Blades!"

"And who in Oblivion do you think _you_ are?" Delphine snapped. "You have no right - "

Esbern interrupted. "I'm afraid she does. I don't know if you ever met her, but that is Ysshaya, Champion of Cyrodiil and Emperor Martin Septim's best friend. She's been a Blade for over two hundred years. She has seniority over both of us."

"And I'm back on active duty," Ysshaya said. She turned to Delphine. "Given how you've dishonored your oath, _Acting_ Grandmaster, you may not know that in the absence of a formal change of command, that seniority makes me Grandmaster. Now explain yourself."

"I ... ah, well, I had to be sure she was really Dragonborn. So I found the back entrance to Ustengrav, and took the Horn. I gave it to her as soon as she showed up!"

"And then decided to make her kill a dragon as proof of her identity, when a Shout would have sufficed. Then you demanded she kill the individual who enabled her to defeat Alduin. Great good gods, woman! Just who do _you_ think _you_ are, trying to order the Dragonborn around?"

Delphine remained silent, to Yssha's surprise.

Ysshaya turned to her greats-granddaughter. "What do you wish me to do with these, Dragonborn? _I_ at least remember the obligations I swore to."

Yssha was unable to respond for a few seconds. Grams deferring to her was ... unnatural, somehow. But she remembered almost regretting having killed off the Dark Brotherhood, because they would have been useful against the Thalmor. "Ah, from your stories and some things I learned from Delphine, the Blades were quite good at undercover work. But I could never be quite sure if that included assassination."

Grams winced. "It did. And you took my advice about the Dark Brotherhood, so you need new ones. All right, but not a new Dark Brotherhood. Sithis gave up on me long ago, and you sent the Night Mother to Oblivion when you burned her body, hopefully to one of the nastier realms. Akatosh will keep her from returning. The Blades will remain true to Dragonborn and Empire, but it'll take a while to train them to proper standards, not to mention rebuilding their numbers." She grinned.

"Let's see. The Penitus Oculatus guards the Emperor and provides an intelligence service, but their numbers are limited outside Cyrodiil. The Skyguard protects you and helps the Legion and others. So the new Blades will both provide supplemental intelligence and assassination services. You know, I think I'm glad I came out of retirement."

"I know I am." Yssha wanted very much to hug her, but not here, and definitely not in front of Delphine. Having been through Grams' training herself, a small part of her felt sorry for the Blades, especially the two new ones, but she'd survived, and so would they.

She turned her attention to Delphine. "One more thing. This Temple is quite isolated, so you may not have heard that a large number of dragons are sworn to me, so for all practical purposes, they are Imperial citizens. No dragon is to be attacked unless it attacks first. My lieges are part of the Skyguard, and learning to enjoy working with and helping humans."

That last part is very hard to believe," Delphine said. "But I've just been reprimanded for disbelieving and over-testing you, so I suppose I'll have to take your word for it." She was clearly unhappy, but Yssha was glad that at least she wasn't arguing.

"You might be happier to hear that His Majesty has disavowed the White-Gold Concordat, so we are at war with the Aldmeri Dominion. Thalmor, but not random Altmer, may be killed on sight, at least in Skyrim."

"Finally some good news!" Delphine exclaimed. "All right, we'll leave your dragons alone, and start taking the Thalmor on."

"That's good," Grams said. "Oh, and if we're going to restore the Blades, we really ought to restore the Order of Talos for you to retire to. Esbern, would you like to handle that part?"

The old man chuckled. "Why not? I've been living like a monk in the Ratway under Riften for a quarter century, and I'm really too old to go out on missions any more. Given the condition of Cloud Ruler Temple at the moment, I suppose I'd better start it here."

"That will work until we can get Cloud Ruler Temple and Weynon Priory rebuilt," Grams agreed. "And since you're the only one so far, I guess you're automatically Grandmaster of the Order." She turned to Delphine. "Once I'm sure of you actually serving the Dragonborn as you should, and the numbers justify the position, I'll probably name you Master of a Blades installation."

Delphine nodded. "I'll do what I can to prove myself, Grandmaster."

"And try not to get yourself killed. You obviously know about secrecy and espionage, to survive the Thalmor this long, and that's going to be our primary focus, so recruit on the basis of those skills."

"Yes, Grandmaster," Delphine said again. "Will you be staying here?"

"Not right now; I'm on a mission for the Emperor at the moment, but I'll stay for a couple of days when that's done. Afterward, it depends on what other missions he has for me. I'll expect you to do the basic training, but I'll be teaching the advanced for a while until you have it down well enough to pass along."

"Is there anything else?" Delphine asked.

"Not from me," Grams replied.

"I do have one thing," Yssha said. "I know you are dubious at best about the Skyguard, but there are only four of you, and a large camp of Forsworn below. If you require assistance, fly a red flag or spread a red cloth where it can be seen from the air, and the Skyguard will provide it. We are patrolling this entire province, and starting to extend to the rest of the Empire."

Delphine looked like she'd eaten something sour, but nodded. "All right, Dragonborn, if it's something we can't handle."

"Good," Grams said. "I think that concludes our discussion for today." She left Sky Haven Temple, with the other two following. When they were outside, she turned to Yssha. "Do you think that solved your problem?"

"I cannot know just yet, but at least she did not insist again on me killing Paarthurnax as we left. That is an improvement in itself." She sighed. "Had she not stolen the Horn, we would have gotten off to a better start, but between that, being forced to kill a dragon for her before she would tell me anything, and then wanting me to kill Paarthurnax, it is hard for me to be polite to her."

"She does better than I would," Marcurio said.

"I was about to lose control of my temper before we left the inn to prevent that, if you remember," Yssha said.

"You?" Grams said in a surprised tone. "That doesn't sound like you at all!"

"It is not, with anyone else. There is just something about her that ruffles my fur the wrong way." She changed the subject. "What would you like to do now? The day is still young."

"Get some lunch, then talk to some of the people you know, starting with Paarthurnax. He sounds very interesting. The Greybeards were, as well, but I noticed only one of them speaks."

"Master Arngeir, yes. He is the only one who has sufficient control of Voice to do so safely to outsiders other than me. The others are so used to silence except for Voice practice that they will not speak even to me, knowing they cannot hurt me. I do not know if it was audible in Cyrodiil, but in their formal recognition, all four of them were Shouting at me simultaneously. I was badly shaken, but not injured."

"If that was the one that mentioned Ysmir, yes, we heard it in Cyrodiil. But only a few scholars understood it, and they weren't sure what it meant."

"Basically they were acknowledging me as Dragonborn, and naming me Ysmir, Dragon of the North. They said they used the same words they had used to acknowledge Tiber Septim."

"Interesting. Let's go eat, then get a lift to Paarthurnax."

Paarthurnax was perched on his Word Wall when they arrived, and greeted them as soon as they dismounted. "'Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin. You and yours are welcome to my strunmah. Will you introduce me to the one I do not know?"

"Drem yol lok, Paarthurnax. Certainly - I introduce my greats-grandmother Ysshaya, Champion of Cyrodiil and many other titles. It was she, working with Emperor Martin, who ended the Oblivion Crisis."

'I am honored to meet you," Paarthurnax said. "Your greats-granddaughter follows in your footsteps as a world-saver."

"And I to meet you, her friend and mentor," Grams replied. "By the way, you don't have to worry about the Blades trying to kill you any more."

Paarthurnax looked at her curiously. "I cannot fault them for trying. I was Alduin's chief lieutenant, and did all too many evil things before Kynareth convinced me and a few others to rebel against him and help the joorre. Nor can I blame them for not trusting me. Until Dovahkiin became thur, dragons were as treacherous as Alduin himself. Unfortunately, some still are.

"But tell me, Champion of Cyrodiil, how did you accomplish that wonder?"

Grams grinned. "Simple. I'm the longest-serving Blade, so since Delphine was never properly named to the position, I pulled time-in-service and took over as Grandmaster, then reminded them of their oaths."

"I am grateful," Paarthurnax said, ducking his head. "Perhaps now I can dispel my protective mist and have an occasional joor visitor. Some of the ones Dovahkiin has told me about would be interesting to hold tinvaak with."

Yssha studied her old mentor carefully. Something about him looked different ... "You are looking better than I have ever seen you, fahdoni," she said. "I am very happy to see that."

"And I am happy to feel it," the dovah agreed. "Ever since you destroyed Alduin and I was free to leave the Tiid-Ahraan for more than a brief hunt, I have been growing stronger, with more energy - feeling more like my younger self. It is ... very pleasant. The thought of immortality in an aging and aching body has very little to recommend it, I can assure you, but I am incapable of comprehending the idea of my own death."

"I don't know whether to envy you or pity you," Grams said thoughtfully. "I've already outlived most of my loved ones, and I'm not even immortal, just very long-lived thanks to magic. That isn't exactly fun, either. But I know that sooner or later some of my descendants will bury me and I'll be welcomed somewhere in Aetherius, where I'll rejoin those who went before. Being mortal has its consolations."

She shook herself as if to dry off. "That sounded morbid, didn't it? That's not how I meant it. I've had a long and mostly happy life, and Aetherius will be even better." She turned to Yssha. "You and Marcurio have been to Shor's realm, so you _know_."

"Yes, we do. It is incredible there, and I have peen promised I will be able to return some day. But I have too much to do here in Mundus to leave any time soon." She smiled. "But this is not the time or place to discuss theology." She turned to Paarthurnax. "Grams is here to learn about my abilities and what I have become. If the rest of you will excuse me, I prefer not to be present at such a discussion, so that you will be comfortable speaking freely. I have been wanting to try some of the potion recipes I have either found or bought, so I will 'port home and work on that, as well as starting on dragonscale armor for Nevan and possibly Serana, if I have enough scales."

Odahviing gape-grinned. "Just tell Dovgrahaak - or I will - that you want any scales lost in combat training. You will have enough in a few days."

"I will let you do that, then, and thank you. You should be in on this discussion, as my first vahriin, so I will teleport home. You can bring Grams and Marcurio when the tinvaak is over."

"Of course, thuri."


	57. Working Vacation

Chapter 57 - Working Vacation

The next several days were a near-vacation for Yssha. Grams, Marcurio, and Odahviing were gone most of the day on Grams' mission, and Rayya was occupied with her steward duties, so for a change, she had leisure time to spend on the non-combat skills she wanted to improve. She was actually surprised to find just how many supplies she had accumulated, between dungeon runs, strategic purchases of hard-to-find items, and grabbing any alchemy ingredients she'd come across. About the only metal she was short on was gold, and a quick trip to Kolskeggr Mine - she'd cleared it of Forsworn for Pavo Attius and Gat gro-Shargakh a few weeks ago - would take care of that in a couple of hours. That particular job had gotten her permission to mine gold, and also gotten her named Blood-Kin to the orcs.

She took care of that the first morning, with time to spare, then went through all the enchanted items she'd stored in the enchanting tower and used her arcane enchanter to analyze them, learning a number of useful enchantments. Unfortunately, the items were destroyed during the analysis, but since she could then enchant something else probably more valuable, she thought it was worth it. And Farengar had taught her the warmth spell for what he considered the great favor of pointing his "valued assistant" Fusmulgar in his direction.

Of the projects she wanted to accomplish, the most time-consuming would be Nevan's dragonscale armor, so she started by making the leather base the scales would cover, then used the heat and Daedric arrowhead method Adrianne had taught her, modified by first soaking the wide part of the scales in Arcadia's solution to soften them. That sped up the hole-punching considerably, and by the time the other three arrived, she was beginning to attach the scales.

When she heard footsteps above her, she set the armor aside and went up to the main floor to greet them. Marcurio got a hug and cheek-lick first, then Grams. "How did the day go?" she asked.

"Pretty well," Grams replied. "We talked to a number of people, and did some tavern-listening in a few towns. And I'm reasonably sure what we heard was accurate, because it agrees with what the Oculatus has been reporting to Titus. I was mistaken for you a few times, though, because of our coloring and me travelling with Marcurio on your dragon."

"Yes, I should have warned you of that possibility. If you were wearing a Skyguard surcoat, it would have been worse."

"Doesn't matter. How was your day?"

"Unusually quiet and pleasant. While you were gone, I inventoried my smithing, alchemy, and enchanting supplies, mined some gold, and began making Nevan's dragonscale armor. I hope to have it finished when they return from the College." She paused. "I may also begin a set for Serana, as she may join us when we have the current vampire infestation under control. If she does not, I can always sell it. And given how expensive potions are compared to the ingredients, I need to work on that as well."

"It sounds like you're enjoying yourself," Grams said with a purr.

"I am - taking advantage of rare peace and quiet before the new Great War becomes open, or I have to finally go after some cultists on Solstheim who want me dead as False Dragonborn."

"Which reminds me - what's this about you being the Last Dragonborn?"

Yssha shrugged. "There is a prophecy which calls me that, in the _Book of the Dragonborn_ \- especially if you consider the Snow Tower in the next to last line as referring to the Nords. The last two lines read,

'When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding 'The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn.'

"With that interpretation, it certainly fits Skyrim when the World-Eater, Alduin, appeared in Helgen."

Grams turned to Marcurio. "What do you think about that?"

"My avocation is history, not prophecy, but it sounds reasonable."

"I don't know," Grams said slowly. "The Nerevarine is immortal. I had the chance, in the Shivering Isles, if I replaced Sheogorath as the Madgod, and I probably still could, if I ever went back. Since I hate Oblivion with a passion, that's not at all likely, but still ... "

Yssha was alarmed. "Grams, what are you saying?"

"I don't really know, youngster. Just that of the last two champions who defeated world-ending catastrophes, one took immortality and the other didn't - at least yet - and that choice may eventually be yours. There's no certainty, of course, just a possibility."

Yssha shuddered. "Thank you for the nightmares, Grams. Especially since I have taken Alduin's place as overlord of most dragons, with the titles of Stormcrown and Dovahjud."

"Dragon something, I know that much, but what's 'jud'?"

"Queen."

"Queen of an immortal race. And you're mortal. Alessia became a saint, Tiber Septim became the Divine Talos ... what will my greats-granddaughter become?"

Yssha took a deep breath, then released it. "I will find that out when Akatosh or Talos tells me. For now, I will concentrate on my immediate destinies of restoring the Empire and finding out what is going on on Solstheim."

"Smart. Whatever you may become in the future, for now concentrate on what you know and can handle."

"That is what I plan. While you and Marcurio are out during the day, I will be working on my crafting - probably alchemy tomorrow, since we need potions. Then sparring with you two after you get back for the day, if you don't mind."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Grams said with a chuckle, and Marcurio agreed.

That had settled into a routine, and by the time Grams left a week later, Yssha had finished making and enchanting dragonscale armor for both Nevan and Serana, and brewed up a good supply of potions, both beneficial and harmful. Most of the beneficial ones, and a few of the harmful, she kept in case her team members needed or wanted them. She didn't use poisons herself, and didn't think Marcurio did, but with Nevan's background, he might. Serana, she had no idea about. The rest she planned to sell, but hadn't decided yet to whom.

She'd also had Adrianne make them dragonbone weapons, since she wasn't skilled enough to do that herself yet, but she'd done the enchanting. She'd also decided to sell Adrianne the bones for now, and all but a few scales, since she was getting a reliable supply of those now. There weren't many from any single dragon, but even a single melee practice yielded several of various colors, and she wanted to experiment with patterns. Not that those would show under surcoats! But it would be fun to play with, and maybe attractive for ordinary adventurers.

As she was cleaning up her workshops in preparation for being away at more adventuring and war-fighting, she thought back to some of the more interesting discussions they'd had. One of the best, as far as Yssha was concerned, was the one a couple of evenings ago about their respective Thieves Guilds. She had started it by commenting that when she first joined, the Skyrim Guild had been having hard times for the last quarter-century, but was now thriving again.

"Hmm ... sounds like about the same times we hit a dry spell, then a recovery. Though considering that Cyrodiil's the capital province, and we took advantage of the Thalmors' sack of the Imperial City, our dry spell was probably like your prosperous times."

"Probably so," Yssha admitted. "But considering the relative prosperity of the two, I am quite happy with what we have accomplished." She grimaced. "Though I could wish the Skyrim branch had established itself in a more pleasant place than Riften's sewers!"

Grams nodded. "I can understand that! I don't suppose you'd be able to persuade them to move, though."

Yssha thought briefly, then shook her head. "The Empire took Riften, yes, but they made Maven Black-Briar Jarl, and she's hand-in-glove with the Guild - our biggest client and protector. She is as corrupt as it it possible to be, but on the other hand, it is in her interest to maintain order. Considering both factors, I think it unlikely that I would be able to persuade them it would be to our advantage to move, even using the Amulet of Articulation. Particularly to where I would like to take them, namely the former Dark Brotherhood sanctuary near Falkreath."

Grams chuckle-purred. "No, the majority of thieves tend to be city-lovers, unlike you. Taking them willingly to where the nearest town and tavern is miles away isn't going to happen."

"Well, fortunately I do not have to go there often." Yssha wrinkled her nose. "Even Marcurio dislikes the small there, and for anyone with a sensitive nose, it is worse. But Brynjolf is used to it, and handles the day-to-day affairs, so I can fly free and work on whatever small-group missions are most urgent at the time."

"And right now that's what?"

"In my opinion, the increased vampire threat," Yssha replied. "The Volkihar Clan is more powerful than the ordinary ones we are used to coping with, difficult as those can be, so they need to be eliminated. Once Nevan and Serana return, that means a trip to Fort Dawnguard so the Moth Priest can read the three Elder Scrolls and tell us what the next step is."

Grams frowned. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, youngster, but Fort Dawnguard was one of the places I visited. The Moth Priest was ... wearing a bandage over his eyes. He's blind."

"Oh, no!" Yssha paused, then sighed. "I am sorry to hear that. Did he say how it happened?"

"Insufficient preparation for reading the first Elder Scroll you gave him," Grams told her. ''But don't lose heart, youngster." She smiled. "There may be another alternative, if you want to stay in Skyrim, or you could always fly to Imperial City and visit another Moth Priest in the White Gold Tower."

"That is true. But either way I will visit Dexion first, and offer to take him back to Cyrodiil if he wishes to go. He read that scroll at my request, and while I am not at fault for his lack of preparation, I do feel I owe him a trip to where he can be properly cared for."

"Owe? Maybe not." Grams smiled. "But it would be a kindness, so yes, you should make the offer."

* * *

Nevan and Serana returned to Lakeview Manor the evening before Grams intended to return to Sky Haven Temple for a two-day stay, and it turned into a combined farewell and welcome-home party. This seemed like a perfect time, so Yssha gave them their dragon armor and weapons, then handed Serana a surcoat. "In case you decide to stay with us," she said with a smile.

Serana took it, then glanced at Nevan. "The odds ... improved while we were away," she said quietly. "We did a lot of studying together, and talking when we weren't with instructors or in the Arcaneum. We became rather close friends."

And possibly more, Yssha thought, but she certainly wasn't going to pry into something that was most definitely none of her business. They would say, if they wanted her to know. "I am glad for both of you, then."

"Oh, I got a few spell books for you," Nevan said, digging into his pack and giving her half a dozen volumes. "Tolfdir said some of them were still a bit advanced for you, at least to use for more than a few seconds at a time, but to reassure you that your magica reserves will grow as you use spells, just like muscles do when you use them."

The top book was "Transmute Metals" - a tome she'd been hoping to find, since jewelry metals were the hardest to get, and jewelry was her favorite thing to smith. Armor and weapons were fine, of course, and some were even attractive, but she preferred the smaller scale and the more delicate touch it took to make nice jewelry. She read the tome immediately, and when it vanished, she smiled happily.

"Thank you, Nevan - that was most thoughtful of you!"

After the gift-giving, the party continued, but mostly chat and not much else, other than some songs and music from the new bard Rayya had hired, a young man called Llewellyn the Nightingale - a cognomen Yssha found amusing. He was a good musician, but had a bad habit of climbing on a handy piece of furniture to perform, which Yssha found irritating. Maybe she should get Rayya to make him a small stage, if he was that used to being higher than his audience!

Since Grams wanted to get an early start in the morning, the party broke up about two hours after sunset, and everyone went to bed.

* * *

_Author's Note: I know this is a short chapter. So is the next one, but I'm keeping them separate because they're totally different subjects. I'll post it tomorrow. The following one is longer, and will go up Friday._


	58. Ancestor Glade

Chapter 58 - Ancestor Glade

After finishing last-minute farewells and watching Grams take off and fly toward Sky Haven Temple, Yssha turned to her team, happy to see Nevan and Serana in their new armor and weapons, including Serana's surcoat. She hid a smile of pleasure at that unspoken commitment. She'd gotten to really like the vampire, and even if Serana wasn't fond of Yssha herself, it seemed she'd developed some sort of attachment to Nevan during their time at the College. Yssha was pleased by that; she liked seeing people happy, and if these two, lost in time and plane, could find happiness with each other, so much the better.

"Well," she said, "shall we go see Dexion?" The other three nodded, and she called Odahviing. They were definitely going to have to enlarge the clearing, and soon, since this seemed to be turning into a sort of at least occasional passenger terminal.

When the dovah landed, he nodded in approval. "It is good to see your personal team is so well equipped, thuri. I will be less concerned when you must go into danger."

He was concerned about her welfare? That was a surprise, if a rather gratifying one. "You need not worry, fahdoni, if I may have the honor of calling you that."

He ducked his head almost to the ground. "The honor is mine, thuri. We all worry, since you are joor and we do not wish to lose you." He shook himself. "But this is no time for tinvaak, much as I might wish it." He extended his wing. "Fort Dawnguard, I would assume, if I understand your priorities correctly."

Yssha smiled. "You do, fahdoni. Yes, please." They mounted, and were almost instantly airborne, then at the Fort. The door guard greeted them and opened the door for them. When they entered, they saw Dexion standing in the center of the room, talking to Isran.

The team approached and Yssha bowed. "My condolences, Brother Dexion," she said. "Is there any way I may assist you? Do you want or need to return to the White Gold Tower?"

"I believe I would rather remain here, thank you. My brothers can do nothing for me, and would know my condition is due to my own carelessness."

"He's welcome here, too," Isran said in his usual growl. "He's sort of an island of peace in a place of war. Good for morale, which means good for combat readiness."

Yssha chuckle-purred. "Well, if you both are sure, I cannot argue. But, Brother, is there another way of reading the Scrolls which will not reveal your disability to your brethren?"

He smiled at her, clearly grateful. "Yes, there is. There are Ancestor Glades scattered throughout Tamriel, including one here in Skyrim. You need to go there. Inside, you will find a sacred draw knife. Use that to scrape the bark carefully from a Canticle Tree - do not cut too deeply! That will attract Ancestor Moths to you." He smiled briefly. "I would explain the theory of how they can allow you to read the Scrolls, but I get the impression you're in too much of a hurry to be interested."

"I am afraid so, Brother. We are trying to abate the Volkihar menace, so at the moment, I am more interested in the practicalities."

"I understand." He smiled again. "Very well. Once you have the bark, just wander around the glade attracting moths. Once you have enough, a beam of light will appear in the center of the Glade. You can stand in that and read the Scrolls safely."

"Thank you. You have been most helpful."

"It is both my job and my pleasure, Dragonborn."

When they arrived at the cave entrance that Odahviing said led to the Ancestor Glade, Nevan hesitated, looking at Yssha and Serana. "I think Marcurio and I should wait outside here. You two go on ahead."

"What is it?" Yssha asked. She knew he didn't have a problem with caves, so why -?

Nevan shook his head. "It's nothing specific. But every now and then, not often, I get a hunch, and I've learned to act on them. And something tells me you should have an outside guard."

"Very well," Yssha agreed. She and Serana could probably handle any danger there might be inside, which she didn't expect since Dexion hadn't mentioned anything. "We will be back as soon as I have read the Scrolls."

"We'll be waiting," Marcurio promised, as the two women entered the cave.

Inside, it was brighter than Yssha would have expected, and there was vegetation, so further in must be a source of light. Possibly another of the caves with a crack or hole in the roof, given that the light looked like dim sun.

They followed Pathfinder up and left, till it led them to a fallen log across a ravine and over to the other side, where there was an obvious path. That took them to a lit-up rocky area where they had to go left again, and that took them to a large open area with light oddly shining up from the center of what looked almost like a natural amphitheater.

"It's beautiful," Serana said quietly. "And it feels so ... peaceful."

"I agree, on both." Yssha said, starting down the path before them. It wandered for a bit, then turned into a staircase above some hot springs and a small river they had to cross to get to the center of the amphitheater, which looked like a circular area that might be pavement or natural stone, she couldn't tell. She saw their first objective there, a draw knife suspended in the center of a wheel-like stone on a base.

She took the knife with no resistance, looking around. Most of the trees looked normal, but several had odd pink leaves. She pointed to the nearest one. "A Canticle Tree, do you think?"

"Since I've never seen a tree like that before," Serana replied, "I'd say yes. Let's get some of its bark and see if you turn into a moth magnet."

Yssha gave her version of a chuckle and approached the tree, then carefully scraped off some of its bark. Nothing happened immediately, so she did as Dexion had said, and began wandering around, deciding she might as well gather ingredients while she was here, especially some yellow mountain flowers she'd found nowhere else.

It wasn't too long before she found herself engulfed in a swarm of glowing moths, who were making an odd tiny twittering sound. She'd never heard of vocal moths, but it was a comfortable sound, as soothing as everything else in the Glade. As she continued her wandering and gathering, another swarm joined her, and not too much later, a third.

When that one arrived and began circling her, Serana chuckled. "Yssha, you're _glowing_!"

Yssha looked down at herself, but didn't see anything. "Are you sure?"

"Very sure. It's like a whole-body halo. But I still don't see the beam of light Dexion said you'd need to read the Scrolls."

"Well, he did not say how many swarms we would need, so I suppose we keep walking." It was taking longer between swarms, but after perhaps half an hour and four more swarms, Yssha happened to glance at the amphitheater's central platform, and saw an intense column of light that must be what Dexion had described.

She made her way down, then stepped into the light and opened the first Scroll. It lit up with what looked like constellations - then the other two unrolled as well, becoming a map of Skyrim, and she was awash in knowledge. She had no idea how long she stared at it, before her vision flared white and she staggered, the Scrolls again closed.

"Are you all right?" Serana asked, obviously concerned. "Your tail went straight out and you were shivering."

"I am ... fine, now," Yssha replied. "But that was ... a very strange experience."

"Did you find out where Auriel's Bow is?"

"Yes, the Scrolls gave me its exact location. It is in a place called Darkfall Cave, in the far north-west, beyond Solitude." She sighed, and led the way out of the cave.

When they emerged, Marcurio and Nevan grinned at them, and Nevan gestured at several dead thralls and a Master Vampire. "My hunch paid off!"

Yssha purred loudly. "It certainly did, and I cannot thank you enough for not allowing them to disrupt the marvelous peace of the Glade. That would have been a terrible desecration."

Marcurio grinned. "Glad we could be of help. I gather you found out where the Bow is?"

Yssha nodded. "Darkfall Cave, up past Solitude. But we must keep Harkon from finding it as well, so we need to find a less vulnerable place than Lakeview to store the Elder Scrolls."

"I'm sure Urag would love to have one," Nevan said. "And it couldn't be much safer than the middle of a College filled with powerful mages."

"Not all three?" Yssha said. "Why not?"

"Security," Nevan replied. "I would keep them separated, so if he gets one, he still won't be able to find the Bow, since it took you all three."

"An excellent point. One to Urag, then, another to Dexion at Fort Dawnguard, and the third ... where? Any suggestions?"

"General Tullius," Marcurio said. "Castle Dour is pretty damn secure, as Fourth Legion headquarters. And that would be good physical separation between them, as well."

Yssha nodded. "And we should do so immediately, I believe." She called Odahviing and asked for transport to the College, after catching him up on events.

In the Arcaneum, Yssha approached Urag, at his desk as usual. "I have something for you, if you are interested," she said, carefully keeping her voice neutral.

He smiled. "A book?"

"Not exactly. How would you like to have an Elder Scroll for your collection?"

He cocked his head to one side. "From anyone else, I'd suspect one of Enthir's practical jokes. But from the Dragonborn ... I would be honored. Beyond honored to have such a thing here at the College. This opens up entire new realms of research for us. Oh, if only Septimus were here to see this! Thank you. You will be remembered for generations for this." He paused. "I feel you deserve something for this, but I don't have anything worth what this is."

"Simply keeping it safe is payment in plenty," Yssha assured him.

Dexion was almost equally enthusiastic, wanting both, but he settled for one after she explained their security concerns and Isran agreed. It was a relief to drop the third one off with General Tullius, who assured her it would be kept in the same Legion strongroom where the men's pay was kept. Yssha didn't say what she thought, but it amused her it would be kept in a place which was in every legionary's self-interest to keep safe.


	59. Touching the Sky

Chapter 59 - Touching the Sky

Darkfall Cave lived up to its name. Most caves had some sort of illumination, even if only glowing mushrooms, but not this one. Yssha and Nevan cast Candlelight spells, which helped, at least at close range. They moved, more carefully than usual because of the limited visibility, and eventually came to a bridge over what sounded like fast-moving rapids. There wasn't much on the far side other than a couple of moonstone veins, but she took advantage of those. She usually bought her crafting supplies, now that she could afford it, but she certainly wasn't going to pass up a chance to gather whatever she came across while doing something else!

The bridge collapsed on the way back over it, dumping the group into what was definitely, now, a swift rapids. They were washed downstream for what felt like hours, encountering frostbite spiders on the way, but finally made it ashore an unknown distance from where they fell in.

Yssha swore briefly to herself. Fighting in wet fur again, for who knew how long ... Then she sighed. It was one of the hazards of adventuring, even for those without fur; wet armor padding, she knew from the Knights' complaining, was no more fun, and possibly worse.

A bit further on, they came to a campsite with the body of a female Breton who looked like she'd been killed by trolls. A note Serana found on her verified that; she and her sister had been trying to live peacefully with a pair of trolls.

Well, stupidity was its own reward, Yssha thought as they searched the campsite. A pull-chain behind the lean-to opened a hidden passage, which looked more promising than the other two possibilities, so when they'd cleaned out the camp, they went that way.

It wasn't long before they came to a large cavern with a lake, and someone standing on the bank. They prepared for combat, but the other called out to them."I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor. Welcome to the Great Chantry of Auri-El."

After introducing her team, Yssha asked if the cavern was a temple to Auri-El

"Auriel, Auri-El, Alkosh, Akatosh... so many different names for the sovereign of the snow elves," he replied.

"Ah. Then you know why we are here?"

"Of course. You're here for Auriel's Bow. Why else would you be here? For the thousands of years I've served as the Chantry's sentinel, there hasn't been a single visitor here for any other reason. They request Auriel's Bow, and I request their assistance. It's been repeated so many times, I can't imagine it any other way."

"What assistance do you need?"

"I need you to kill Arch-Curate Vyrthur... my brother." He hesitated. "The kinship between us is gone. I don't understand what he's become, but he's no longer the brother I once knew. It was the Betrayed ... what most call Falmer. They did something to him, I just don't know why Auri-El would allow this to happen."

"What did they do?"

"They swept into the Chantry without warning and began killing everyone without pause. The Chantry was a place of peaceful worship. I led a small group of paladins, but we were no match for the Betrayed's sheer numbers. They slaughtered everyone and stormed the Inner Sanctum where I believe they corrupted Vyrthur."

"Then is he even still alive?"

"He's alive. I've seen him. But something's wrong. He never looks as though he's in pain or under duress. He just ... stands there and watches, as though waiting."

"Have you ever tried going to see him?"

"Leaving the wayshrines unguarded would be violating my sacred duty as a Knight-Paladin of Auri-El. And an assault on the Betrayed guarding the Inner Sanctum would only end with my death."

Well, if the numbers he'd mentioned were accurate, that was undoubtedly true. "What are wayshrines?"

"Here, let me show you."

He walked over to what looked like a dome and cast a spell. The carved sun on the dome's top lit up, and the dome rose, revealing it was only part of a larger gazebo-like structure. "This is known as a wayshrine. They were used for meditation and for transport when the Chantry was a place of enlightenment. Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auri-El to our Initiates."

Serana, obviously intrigued, asked, "What's that basin in the center signify?"

"Once the Initiate completed his mantras, he'd dip a ceremonial ewer in the basin at the wayshrine's center and proceed to the next wayshrine."

"So these Initiates had to lug around a heavy pitcher of water. Marvelous. How long would they have to do that?"

"Well," Gelebor replied, "once the Initiate's enlightenment was complete, he'd bring the ewer to the Chantry's Inner Sanctum. Pouring the contents of the ewer into the sacred basin of the Sanctum would allow him to enter for an audience with the Arch-Curate himself."

"All that just to end up dumping it out? Makes no sense to me."

"It's symbolic. I don't expect you to understand."

"So let's get this straight," Serana pressed him. "We need to do all that nonsense to get into the temple, so we can kill your brother and claim Auriel's Bow?"

Gelebor nodded. "I know how it all sounds, but if there was another way I'd have done it long ago. The only way to get to my brother is by following in the Initiates' footsteps and traveling from wayshrine to wayshrine just as they did. The first is at the end of Darkfall Passage, a cavern that represents the absence of enlightenment."

That sounded like an awful lot of trouble, Yssha thought, for something Akatosh could simply give them if He wanted, but the gods did seem to like making things complicated. She had known that for a long time, and was actually a bit surprised that she'd gotten as much help as she had. "How many wayshrines are there?"

Gelebor turned his attention back to Yssha. "There are five in total, spread far apart across the Chantry."

"These caves must be huge, then."

"Caves? Oh, no. The Chantry encompasses far more than a few caves, as you'll soon discover. But before I send you on your way, you'll need the Initiate's Ewer." He handed her what looked like a large, elaborately decorated pitcher, then continued, "Once you've located a wayshrine, there will be a spectral Prelate tending to it. He will allow you to draw the waters from the shrine's basin as if you've been enlightened. This may be the last time we're able to converse. If you have any questions before you leave, I suggest you ask them. Otherwise, all I can do now is grant you my hopes for a safe journey."

"I thank you for your assistance. We go, then." Yssha led her team into the Wayshrine, then continued through what was obviously a portal on the far side. That took them to a tunnel lined with glowing ... flowers? that retreated into what looked like tubes as they passed. Those seemed to indicate which way they should go, which was a good thing since Pathfinder didn't seem to work in this cave.

Otherwise, this part wasn't all that different from a normal dungeon expedition. They fought Falmer and Chaurus, and picked up some plants she'd seen nowhere else and wanted to experiment with. They were cautious, because with Pathfinder not working, it would be entirely too easy to get lost, even with the glowing maybe-flowers, but eventually they spotted the first wayshrine they needed.

Its spectral Prelate named it the Wayshrine of Illumination, then asked Yssha if she was prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El. She wasn't even sure what those were, but the Prelate didn't explain, so all she could do was agree. He then raised the Wayshrine as Gelebor had. She dipped water into the ewer, then they went through another portal.

This one took them to a spot above a beautiful valley. Hopeful, Yssha cast Pathfinder, and sighed in relief when it worked, leading them along a path with more of the unfamiliar plants she was calling gleamblossoms and some others she hadn't named yet. She'd have liked to explore the Vale, but that would have to wait until the Volkihar vampires were eliminated, so this trip they'd be following Pathfinder as quickly as possible, and dealing with any problems that arose the same way.

The trip was relatively uneventful - nothing they couldn't deal with easily, at any rate - until after the third Wayshrine, while they were crossing an iced-over lake. That was when Yssha heard two separate dragon roars. She sighed, but readied Dragonbane. Not Dragonrend, not just yet; these might be willing to listen before attacking. It had happened before, if not often, so she pitched her voice at Shout intensity, but without the intent that made a Shout effective.

"Drem Yol Lok, Dii Fronne! Zu'u Hind Tinvaak!"

There was a brief pause, then, "Wo Til?"

That was promising, and Yssha purred before replying. "Dovah Los Dovahkiin."

There were two brief bursts of flame, then, "Dovahkiin? Het? Mu Meyz Ko Drem."

Yssha reminded herself and her team of Paarthurnax's caution, and they were prepared for battle when a pair of dragons, obviously twins, backwinged to a landing on the ice. "Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin," one said, then switched to Common. "I am Voslaarum, my brother is Naaslaarum. What do you do in our Vale?"

Yssha introduced her team, then continued. "We seek Auri-El's Bow, that we may eliminate a threat to Tamriel by vampires - sosnaakke."

The speaker cocked his head. "Yet you travel with one."

"Yes, but Serana menaces no one. She is helping eliminate the threat."

The dragons studied Serana intently, then nodded in unison. "Yes, unlike He Who Subjugates." The speakel stared at Yssha. "We will name you thuru, Dovahkiin, under one condition."

Yssha frowned, but curiosity overcame other emotions. "What condition is that?"

"We will teach you a Shout Bormahu taught us after the Dwemer committed their greatest atrocity and vanished. You will use it whenever you encounter our fallen friends, to return them to what they should be. It is a thing we cannot do, because we are too large to go where they are now forced to hide. And it would be well if you find a place above-ground for them to live when you restore them."

"I do not understand," Yssha admitted "Who are your fallen friends, and what should they be? As for the above-ground place, I can probably find them one, if I know what requirements they have."

"Our fallen friends are the ones joorre call Falmer. My brother and I protected them as long as we could, but the Dwemer - " the dovah snarled flame - "took them where we could not go, and warped them. They will need a cold place. They used to be the Odfahliille."

"Snow Elves." Yssha bowed to the dragon brothers. "It would be my honor to help restore them, and I believe I know a perfect place for them to gather, if its current ruler agrees."

"Wait until you have that permission, then, for it would be cruel for them to see their current surroundings without any hope for better. For now, learn and **know**: "Sot Gein Daal!"

Yssha shivered. "I will remember. And I will free as many as I may." And she would pay as much as she could toward restoring Winterhold ...

The dragon smiled. "It is well, then, Dovahkiin. Thuru. Learn another Rotmulaag." He pointed to an odd stone near the lake's edge. "And Bormahu be with you."

Yssha bowed again, then went to the odd Word Wall, learning another Word of Dismaying Shout before continuing their trip.

The group continued their trip in silence, until Nevan asked, "What was that all about?"

Yssha turned to her human oath-bound. "I do not understand completely myself. But those dragons apparently took the Snow Elves ... under their wings ... and wish me to restore them to this world, as they used to be. Like Gelebor."

Nevan nodded. "That would be a good thing. I admire Dwemer workmanship, sure, but anyone who'd mistreat others the way they did ... they're no better than our Shapers, with far worse results. They almost make the Thalmor look like good guys, and them I'll happily kill on sight."

That got murmurs of agreement from Marcurio and Serana, which made Yssha purr again. "Then we are agreed. But we must finish this mission before we can begin that restoration."

She led her team onward, through a nearby Wayshrine, then an icy crevasse full of Falmer - harder to fight and kill, now that she knew they could be cured instead. But there was no choice, not yet, so they did what had to be done.

One last wayshrine,then the team went down a path that took them to a huge temple, with a large statue in front that had to be Auri-El. At the top of the stairs, they found a basin, and Yssha poured in the contents of the ewer. When the water had run through a series of channels, the Inner Sanctum doors opened.

Inside were a number of statue-like frozen Falmer and chaurus, several holding items that could be useful, but Yssha cautioned the rest of the team against taking anything. When Marcurio pointed out that she'd taken things from the Twilight Sepulcher, she nodded. "That was a temple, yes, of a sort. But Nocturnal is not a Divine, and is patron of thieves. In her case, I thought it might offend her if I did _not_ take something. But this temple is to the chief of the Divines, who does not approve of that sort of thing. I am sure that were I not Dragonborn, I would be condemned to Oblivion for many of my actions."

"And welcomed in every realm of Aetherius for others." Nevan's voice was strange, and the others looked at him sharply. "Much may be forgiven those from whom even more is demanded." Then he blinked a couple of times. "Where in Chaos did _that_ come from?"

"At a guess," Marcurio said drily, "the Divine whose temple this is. Or maybe Talos, her other patron."

"The gods here are a lot more active than I'm used to," Nevan said. "Or is it just her?"

"We believe they're always active, just a lot less subtle than usual for the Dragonborn - at least this one. You saw that at the Soul Cairn." Serana grinned. "I'm starting to get the feeling that the new world we believed would come when Alduin ate this one is coming about after his death rather than ours."

Marcurio looked thoughtful. "You might have a point," he said. "Not so much a new world as a renewed one. The dragons are back and as they were originally intended, the Snow Elves will be, so will the Empire ... though I hope the Dwemer stay wherever they went. The races still here can be cruel enough, without one that's already committed one genocide."

"Well, the Thalmor are working on wiping out humans," Nevan pointed out. "So no, we don't need another genocidal bunch. And I'm confident humanity can decipher their technology, with so much of it left around to study. Maybe along with the new Snow Elves, if they decide to remain mostly underground. Gelebor is so pale he's almost blue. So that niche will be filled."

"That could be nice ... I have grown quite fond of indoor plumbing," Yssha put in. "My next dreams are of smokeless heating in winter, and perhaps some way of cooling down over-hot places." Her ears twitched. "Yes, I am a shameless comfort-lover."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Nevan said. "I think everyone is, if they're honest enough to admit it. I must say, I miss a number of the luxuries from my old home."

Marcurio and Serana chuckled, nodding agreement. "But for now," Marcurio pointed out, "we have an Arch-Curate to kill and a bow to retrieve, then a bunch of vampires to eliminate."

"Yes." Yssha shook herself, then looked around again. "Which means we must get to exploring."

They spent most of an hour doing exactly that, until they came across a Snow Elf sitting on a throne behind a fence of spikes, and surrounded by more icy statues. As they approached, the Snow Elf - who had to be Vyrkur - addressed Yssha. "Did you really come here expecting to claim Auri-El's Bow? You've done exactly as I predicted and brought your fetching companion to me. Which, I'm sorry to say, means your usefulness is at an end!"

Then a number of the frozen chaurus broke free of their ice shrouds and attacked. The team reacted as usual, eliminating them in short order. Vyrthur acknowledged that with, "An impressive display, but a wasted effort. You delay nothing but your own deaths!"

The ceiling began to collapse, and maybe half of the frozen Falmer broke free and attacked. "Finish them!" Vyrthur yelled.

Yssha was glad she had the team along. Four could handle such an attack with little trouble, but if she'd been alone, she had serious doubts about whether she'd have survived at all.

When that wave of attackers was done, Vyrthur was obviously angry. "This has gone on long enough."

She agreed, but for different reasons, she was certain. Especially when an unusually powerful Frost Atronach appeared, and was joined by the rest of the frozen Falmer breaking free.

Although she was reluctant to Shout indoors, Yssha unleashed Fire Breath on the Atronach. As they fought, Serana wasted enough breath to inform Vyrthur that he would die here. His reply sounded amused. "Child, my life ended long before you were born!"

The fight continued, and the team eventually cut down the last Falmer. Vyrthur refused to accept it. "No ... I won't let you ruin centuries of preparations ... "

Serana called out, "Surrender and hand over the bow!"

"Death first!"

With that, he brought the rest of the ceiling down, and a piece of it knocked Yssha out. When she woke, Nevan was finishing a Restoration spell on her. "You okay, thuri?"

Yssha rose, reflexively dusting off her surcoat. "Thanks to you, yes."

"Good." He grinned briefly. "They went that-a-way."

She followed him outside and up onto a balcony, where Marcurio was waiting while Serana cofronted Vyrthur.

"Enough, Vyrthur. Give us the bow!"

Vyrthur sneered. "How dare you. I was the Arch-Curate of Auri-El, girl. I had the ears of a god!"

Serana sighed, nodding tiredly. "Until the 'Betrayed' corrupted you. Yes, yes. We've heard this sad story."

Vyrthur repeated his sneer. "Gelebor and his kind are easily manipulated fools. Look into my eyes, Serana. You tell me what I am."

Serana did so, then frowned. "You're ... you're a vampire? But Auriel should have protected you..."

"The moment I was infected by one of my own Initiates, Auri-El turned his back on me. I swore I'd have my revenge, no matter what the cost."

"You want to take revenge... on a god?"

"Auri-El himself may have been beyond my reach, but his influence on our world wasn't. All I needed was the blood of a vampire and his own weapon, Auriel's Bow."

"The blood of a vampire... Auriel's Bow... It... it was you? You created that prophecy?"

"A prophecy that lacked a single, final ingredient... the blood of a pure vampire. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour."

Serana picked him up by the throat and snarled in his face. "You were waiting... all this time for someone with my blood to come along. Well, too bad for you ... I intend on keeping it. Let's see if your blood has any power to it!" She threw him against the balcony rail.

Before he could regain his balance, Yssha used Unrelenting Force, then moved in with her mace. As he died, he gasped out, "Auri-El, forgive me ... "

Yssha bowed her head in a prayer for his soul. She wouldn't question a god's motives, but Vyrthur hadn't wanted to become a vampire, that was obvious, and Akatosh must have known his reaction ... so Yssha felt more pity than anger for Vyrthur.

She had no idea of Snow Elf funeral customs, so after a couple of minutes, she waved the others to stand behind her, and burned the body with a longer-than-usual Fire Shout.

"Thank you, Dragonborn." That was Geleborn's voice behind her, and she turned, to see him holding an absolutely beautiful bow. "Serana told me my brother had become a vampire, which explains much. My thanks, to all of you. You risked everything to get Auri-El's Bow, and in turn, you've restored the Chantry. I can't think of a more deserving champion to carry it than you. If you wish to learn more about the bow, or obtain Sunhallowed Arrows for it, I'd be more than happy to help. You've but to ask. Please, take the bow... it's yours."

Yssha accepted it, handing over all the elven arrows she and her team had. "We would appreciate it if you could enchant these. I think we may need them against Harkon, and ... I am not particularly good at archery."

She was grateful that Nevan didn't say anything. He'd watched her practicing one day, and tried to help her improve her technique, but finally given up. He'd strongly advised her to stick to magic or shouts for her ranged attacks, and gone away, possibly forgetting her acute hearing, murmuring, "Hopeless. She's absolutely hopeless with a bow." Yssha didn't think she was _that_ bad - after all, she could usually hit the target butt, if not often where she wanted - but she didn't argue. He had very high standards, after all.

Gelebor chuckled. "Very well. It will take a day or so, for this many, but then I have little else to do these days."

"What will you do now?"

"Even with Vyrthur gone and the Inner Sanctum destroyed, my duty as a Knight-Paladin of Auri-El remains. I've been sworn to protect this vale and everything it represents until I die. and for the time being, the Wayshrines will remain open. If remnants of our kind who escaped the betrayal at the hands of the dwarves exist out there, perhaps they will find this place one day."

He sighed "While it would fill me with joy to see the Chantry back to its former glory, that time has long since passed. Now that my brother's dead, it's quite possible I'm the last of our kind."

His sorrow was so evident, Yssha had to speak. "For now, yes, but not for long."

He stared at her. "What do you mean?"

Yssha was almost intimidated by his intensity. "Are you aware of the twin dragons of the ice lake?"

"Yes - they have a lair under the water. Why?"

"Because they have taught me a Shout they learned from Akatosh which can restore Falmer to Snow Elves. Once I have found them a place to live on the surface, I may begin doing so. I was thinking of rebuilding Winterhold for them."

Gelebor wept. She wanted to hold him, but he was much too tall for her to be of any help, so she gave Marcurio a desperate look, and he moved to hold the elf before Gelebor collapsed.

Gelebor was still blinking back tears when he disentangled himself from the Imperial battlemage and smiled shakily. "Dragonborn ... Dovahkiin ... you can truly restore my people?"

"The twins assured me the Shout came from Bormahu, so yes."

"They can always come here, whether or not you can turn Winterhold into a place for them. In fact, I believe they have settlements close to the Wayshrine of Radiance."

Yssha winced, remembering that trip. "Yes, just outside the Glacial Crevice."

"Please, take me there, and restore at least one of my people. How many can you restore with a single Shout?"

"I have no idea, but unless Bormahu wishes me to spend all my time at that task, I would suspect more than one. Perhaps anyone within hearing range. Let us go." She paused, then added, "But it may well be a very slow process, even if I can restore more than one at a time."

Gelebor frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Even if they are totally restored, it may well be to the state they had when they became the Betrayed," Yssha replied. "Physically and intellectually restored, I am fairly sure, but ... will these distant descendants retain any of the history or culture you remember? And will they even want to return to that? After so many thousands of years underground for the most part, they may fear the open."

Gelebor's frown turned to a scowl. "Do you not want to try, then?"

"Of course I want to try. I am just warning you that you may need to become a teacher, as Marcurio and I are to Nevan and Serana, but with far more people."

"Ah, I see." Gelebor smiled. "But it may not be as bad as you think. if Auri-El truly wishes my kindred restored, He may make them what they would be had the Dwemer not betrayed them, or at worst, I will have help to teach them. He is just, and my people did not willingly become the monstrous and hostile Falmer. They were forced to give up their sight simply to survive, then were enslaved rather than assisted by the Dwemer."

"I pray it may be so." Yssha wouldn't really like to restore the Falmer, only to have them revert to savagery, just in more attractive forms.

The settlement wasn't far, and a couple of Falmer started to attack as soon as they got close. Yssha used her new Shout, wondering what it would do. "Sot Gein Daal!"

Both Falmer crumpled and began ... shifting. She'd seen both werewolf and Vampire Lord transformations, and her first reaction to this was that it was slow in comparison. It was several minutes before it was complete, and two Snow Elves rose, looking confused. "What happened?" one asked, his voice shaky.

It was Gelebor who answered. "By the grace of Auri-El, you've been returned to your original form, and I think intellect and disposition as well."

Probably so, Yssha thought, since the newly transformed one had spoken, and wasn't attacking.

"I can see again ... and I have the words to say that." He shook his head. "It's so bright ... and I feel odd. I think ... I think I would be more comfortable out of the bright."

"Yes," the other agreed. "It's tolerable, but not comfortable."

"Very well. The Glacial Crevice is not far." Yssha began leading the group that way, but was interrupted when the dragon twins landed.

"We heard your Thu'um, and came to see our restored friends," one of them said. "You have done well, Dovahkiin. But they need a new name, since 'Falmer' has become as tainted as they were."

Yssha nodded, turning to Gelebor. "'Od' means snow in the Dovahzul, so would you object to Odmer?"

"I like it," one of the restored elves said, before Gelebor could reply.

"So do I," the other agreed. "So we Restored are Odmer, in honor of she who gave us this gift."

"How fully did the restoration work?" Yssha asked apprehensively.

"What do you mean?" the first one asked.

"Ah ... were you given knowledge of how the original Snow Elves lived, or must you develop an entire culture for yourselves?"

"Oh. Yes, we were given that knowledge, but our living conditions are very different, so what was done then will have to be modified. But can we get inside, please?"

"My apologies," Yssha said quickly. "Yes, come along!"


	60. Return of the Snow Elves

_The title change is because this is getting so long it's getting cumbersome to work with, but Yssha has much still to do. So when Part 1 hits 200K words around Chapter70, it will be continued in "Yssha's Tale II: Stormcrown"._

* * *

Chapter 60 - Return of the Snow Elves

The group entered the Glacial Crevice, where it was dim even to Yssha's night-sight, but an obvious relief to the Odmer. She led them down to the last Falmer settlement she and her team had encountered on the way to the Inner Sanctum. Since they knew their old culture and would only have to adapt it to current conditions, she was more confident about restoring them in groups, so when they were attacked again, she had no hesitation Shouting.

As before, the Falmer collapsed. It bothered her that some fell to their deaths when that happened, but she told herself they'd have died from a spell or weapon if they had attacked her party, and that this way there would actually be fewer deaths. She watched the living shift, then regain their feet with a completely different appearance and attitude.

A female - woman, now, Yssha corrected herself - approached the group. "You are the cause of this," she said, looking at Yssha. "I am this group's ... I suppose the proper title is priestess, now. Auri-El says to reassure you that we will be fine, though we have adapted so well to mostly-underground life that a large majority of us will remain so. But we thank you with the most sincere gratitude for what you're doing for our people."

Yssha bowed politely. "It is by His power and will that I am able to do so," she told the priestess. "The specific task I was born for is complete, but I am happy He permits me to continue helping."

"We know, Dovahkiin Yssha Ysmir." The priestess smiled. "I was told of your battle in Sovngarde, along with the clerics of the outside world. I will pass the story to my people, now that we can again communicate in a more expressive language than grunts and snarls."

She turned to Gelebor. "My people are commanded to aid you in restoring the Inner Sanctum, Arch-Curate. This Chantry will again be a place of pilgrimage, and you will teach us what we need to know to properly serve as its attendants."

Gelebor looked stunned, but then nodded. "I will do so gladly, Priestess. May I know your name?"

The priestess looked confused. "I ... don't have one. We haven't had real names since the Dwemer betrayed our trust. Just the grunts and snarls I mentioned, which don't translate. If you would do that for us, as well? Names that are appropriate to our domain, or that commemorate those who are worthy of such?"

"I will, but you must give me time to think. Naming others is usually done by parents, who have months to think on the subject. And I have to spend a day or so enchanting arrows for the Dragonborn to use in her next battle."

"Then we will honor these four - no, three; none is worthy of any of Dovahkiin's names." She approached Serana. "May I use your name, Dovahkiin-companion?"

Serana looked confused, but nodded. "I am Serana."

"Then I am also Serana. I thank you for the gift."

The two original Restored approached Marcurio and Nevan, asking the same thing. Both agreed, and one Odmer became Marcurio, the other Nevan, with Marcellus Julian and Leras held in reserve. Then the team and Gelebor returned to the surface and what was left of the Inner Sanctum so Gelebor could do his enchanting.

When the team was settled in one of the still-intact rooms, Yssha sighed. "And I thought this would be a relatively simple mission. Instead, it has turned into one of the most complex. It makes most others look like a simple dungeon run."

"It was fairly normal until we got to the Vale," Marcurio pointed out. "It was when those two dragons tasked you with restoring the Falmer that things got weird."

"True," Yssha acknowledged. "I am happy to do it, but it does complicate things. I am not at all sure how Balgruuf will feel about having restored Snow Elves in his kingdom, even if most remain underground as their ancestors did."

Serana shrugged. "I doubt he'll think about it much. Out of sight, out of mind, you know. At least unless they start making a difference on the surface, and even then, he's got a war to run."

"And a hold and kingdom." Yssha purred at that reminder of her friend's usual dismissal. "True, so it may not be as disruptive as I feared."

"We'll have fun finding out what they do," Nevan said. "Honestly, I'm looking forward to you restoring a bunch living in a Dwemer ruin, because if they have a normal mer intellect now, they should start to figure out how things work even better than a human could. They seem to share at least part of a common culture, after all."

"All the other mer races are offshoots of the Altmer who moved away from the original settlement on the Summerset Isles," Marcurio said. "So yes, they have at least that much in common, and from their looks, the Odmer are probably the closest to the Altmer. How close the Dwemer were, though, no one can do more than speculate. Probably not very, though, given the height differences."

"As Nevan said, it will be interesting to see what they do once I have restored those in a ruin. But as soon as Gelebor has my arrows ready, we return to the Darkfall caves, restore the Falmer there, and then go speak to Isran." She sighed. "It would be easier to call Odahviing and fly straight to Fort Dawnguard from here, but ... somehow, now that I know I can restore the Falmer, not doing so would feel wrong. But not going after Harkon immediately also feels wrong. Yet I cannot do both at once, so I have chosen that path for now. After Harkon is dead, perhaps we can take the time to seek out more Falmer nests."

"Maybe," Marcurio said. "Some time in there, we need to go to Solstheim and find out about those cultists. They're getting as bad about ambushing us as the vampires are, and the un-restored Falmer are no problem unless we go to them."

Yssha nodded. "You are right, beloved. So that moves to third on the priority list, right after Solstheim." She twitched an ear. "Of course, the usual caveat applies! The gods do seem to specialize in making our lives interesting, after all."

"In the Chinese sense, anyway," Nevan said with a grin.

"Hmm?" Serana looked curious. "What do you mean?"

"Sorry - it's from my world. There was an ancient culture that used 'May you live in interesting times' as a curse. I've heard there used to be more to it than that, like coming to the attention of authority, but the 'interesting times' part is pretty much all that's used any more."

Yssha purred. "Well, my life since Alduin's appearance has definitely been that! And all of you have shared that curse, since joining me."

"Well, Nevan and I did go out looking for adventure," Marcurio pointed out.

"I didn't, not exactly," Serana said, "but this is much better than either my life at Castle Volkihar or my, um, exile in that pillar. I'll happily settle for being ... what was it that priestess said? ... Dovahkiin-companion."

Yssha smiled. "You three do me great honor, you know, following me as you do, even though I lead you into great danger at times."

"Well, you're married to Marcurio, Nevan's sworn to you, and I'm positive you'd give me blood if I were desperate," Serana said, "so it's mutual." She shrugged. "We're a team."

Yssha thought about that for several minutes while the rest chatted, then when a break came, she said quietly, "More than just a team, I think. I do not wish to offend, but it feels to me like we have become the nucleus of a new Family, I would hope within Clan Ysshaya. When I am free to have kits - which unfortunately does not look to be coming any closer - that will be even more true."

That got another discussion going, which she did her best to ignore until the others came to a decision. She'd put in her contribution; now it was up to them whether or not to become more than a team.

It took Serana touching her arm to return her to reality. "Yes?"

"You'd really consider a vampire for part of your Family?"

"Most? No. But you, certainly." Yssha smiled. "And yes, I would feed you if it became necessary. Of course, I have protection against becoming a vampire myself, so I would be in no danger."

Serana laughed. "Then if I understand Khajiit protocol, talk to your Clan-Mother, and we will be your Family."

"And we can always adopt, until you're free to have my kits," Marcurio pointed out. "We have a large home and a housecarl, and we can always hire a nanny for while we're away."

"In Clan Ysshaya, a new Family _must_ include at least one child to prove its commitment to being a responsible family," Yssha told them. "But the child or children do not have to be mine or Serana's; adoption is perfectly acceptable." She grimaced. "Gods know, Skyrim has an abundance of orphans, especially since the war; we should have no trouble finding one who wishes a real home."

"None at all," Marcurio agreed. "Every city has orphan kids begging in the streets just to survive, then there are the ones in Honorhall Orphanage. We could have a houseful in no time."

"One only, at least at first," Yssha said. "We cannot adopt every orphan in the province, after all, and I would not impose more than one on Rayya until we know how she feels about children."

Serana grinned. "True; that wouldn't be fair to her. So we stop by a city on the way home and rescue one of the beggar kids. I'll enjoy that."

"So will I," Nevan said. "All of our clans had kids around. They're loads of fun, and kids should definitely grow up with parents and other adults to learn from."

"We are agreed, then." Yssha smiled. "I find myself eager to leave this Vale, find an orphan willing to have us as parents, and petition Clan-Mother Ysshaya for permission to form Family ... ah. We will need a name from one of the First Parents. I do not think it should be mine, simply because it is so close to hers."

"Marcurio, then," Nevan said. "He's your husband, after all, and compared to him, Serana and I are late-comers."

Serana nodded. "That makes sense. Family Marcurio of Clan Ysshaya, then."

* * *

Their trip back through the Darkfall cave complex was far easier than the original, in large part because Pathfinder worked, the rest beause Falmer attacks stopped instantly when she Shouted at them. Confident that their priest or priestess would explain things, she didn't wait to watch their transformations, and as soon as they emerged, she called Odahviing.

When he landed, he looked at her curiously. "I heard you use a new Thu'um, Dovahkiin."

"Indeed, and one from Bormahu, transmitted by twin dragons in the Vale beyond this cave complex." Assisted by the others, she told him about everything that had gone on since he had dropped them off. "So it would seem I have a joor family now, or will as soon as we adopt a child, to go along with my winged kindred."

Odahviing cocked his head, studying the group, then nudged her with his nose, as gently as he could. "This is good, thuri. I will take you to ... hmm. Solitude is closest, but the most promising rider-to-be is in Whiterun. Though he may be younger than you wish, since he will not be ready for ten or fifteen years, and will take much training."

"Young is good," Yssha assured him. "And if you call him that, he will not fear the dovahhe who guard and visit Lakeview."

Odahviing snorted a laugh. "Fear? That one ran to me and begged for a ride, though he was no taller than my wing-joint. I could not take him up, though, because he was not big enough to mount."

"To Whiterun, then. And did he give you a name?"

"I fear not, but he will undoubtedly appear shortly after I land." Odahviing extended his wing, and the team climbed to his neck.

He was right; not long after he landed, the team dismounted, and the city gates opened, a young Nord boy - maybe four or five years old - ran out and straight for Odahviing, ignoring the team. "Dragon! You came back!"

Yssha stooped down beside the boy, who'd grabbed onto one of the dovah's claws, as Odahviing replied. "Yes, I did, this time with my riders. Speak to the one beside you."

The boy turned to Yssha. "You ride him?"

"Yes, I do. He tells me you will be a dragon-rider, some day." How to phrase this? She didn't want to hurt him, but also couldn't take him if his parents objected. "I could take you home with me, if your mother and father permit it."

The boy gave her a look more mature than his years. "They went to Sovngarde when the blue ones attacked."

Oh. Yssha bowed her head briefly in prayer, before looking back at the boy. "Then would you like me to adopt you? And what is your name?"

"I'm Freyr." He grabbed her, starting to cry and hiding his face against her armor. She soothed him as she'd often done for younger brothers and sisters, until he raised his face and spoke again. "You really want me?"

"We really do, Freyr." She held him so she could lick his tears away. "We have a nice home near Falkreath with plenty of room for you, and we have lots of dragon visitors."

"You'll really be my new mama?"

"I will, and see the tall man over there?" She pointed to Marcurio. "He will be your papa. The other two are Uncle Nevan and Aunt Serana."

"I don't got any things any more, so can we go now?" Freyr stood. "This place is awful, now. I want home!"

Yssha smiled, standing and picking him up. "Marcurio, can you get him up on Odahviing? He is light, but I do not have the height."

"Of course, love." Marcurio took the boy, resting him on one hip until he could put the youngster between two neck spines. As the others joined them, he advised, "Hold on tight. Takeoff can be pretty steep."


	61. A New Family

Chapter 61 - A New Family

When they arrived at Lakeview Manor and dismounted, Freyr looked around in astonishment. "This's ... we really live here, Mama?"

"We really do, son." Yssha smiled. "Let us go inside and get you something to eat, then find you a room so you can get settled in."

He followed her inside, gaping when he looked around. "It's beautiful, just like you!"

Yssha purred. "And here is Rayya, my housecarl." She introduced them, glad that Rayya looked pleased rather than upset. "I know this is sudden," she half-apologized, "but we decided to become a family as well as a combat team."

"Good," Rayya said. "I wondered how long it would take, and I'm glad you adopted so quickly. Where are his things?"

"He said he had nothing, so we will have to do some shopping."

"Well, I just finished baking a batch of sweetrolls." She looked at the boy, smiling. "Would you like a nice warm one?"

Freyr nodded eagerly. "Yes! Uh, please, m'm!"

"Come with me, then." Rayya led him into the kitchen, sitting him down at a table near the oven, and serving him a fragrant sweetroll. "Are you hungry?"

He nodded again, his mouth too full to talk, and Rayya chuckled. "I'll get you a bowl of stew, then." She did so, then went back into the main hall. "I'll take him to Falkreath when he's done eating, and get him a couple of outfits. And a couple of toys."

"Thank you," Yssha said. "In the meantime, I must find Grams and get her permission to formally establish a new Family within her clan." She turned to her team/family. "I must do this by myself, but once I find her, it should not take long. I will be back as soon as possible."

She went outside and called Odahviing. As usual, he arrived quickly. "Yes, thuri?"

"I must speak to my greats-grandmother. She usually keeps the Knights informed of where she will be, so the Priory of the Nine, please." As she mounted, she added, "As quickly as you can, please. This is only personal, but important to me." She settled along his neck, curling claws around his scales.

Odahviing launched himself, surging into the sky. His thur seemed happy, which pleased him. She was nothing like Alduin's later self, but much like the early Alduin. If only she had a dovah body, and immortality!

He landed at the Priory, far enough away not to frighten the Knights' horses. "I will wait here for you," he said, then watched her run inside.

It turned out Grams was there, and Yssha was directed into the Undercroft, where she found Grams putting her Divine Crusader armor onto its stand. She waited until that was done, then said, "Grams?"

Ysshaya turned to her many-greats-granddaugter. "What is it, youngling?"

Yssha's ears burned with a combination of embarrassment and fear of rejection, but she managed to keep her outward composure as she bowed formally, fists at her shoulders. "Clan-Mother, this one wishes to request permission to establish a Family under your jurisdiction."

"Oh, really?" Ysshaya's voice was cool. "By what right do you ask that?"

Yssha knew this had to be done according to long tradition, but it was more than a little uncomfortable. "By the right of birth, and forming a team that will provide genetic children to the Clan when I am able, and the fact that we have given you a new grandchild by adoption."

"And is that enough, for Clan Ysshaya?"

"No, it is not." Yssha drew herself to her full height. Grams was understanding, but she would have to justify a new Family to the rest of the clan, and perhaps to the Mane himself. "I am Dovahkiin, and have defeated Alduin World-Eater. I am restoring the Betrayed, by the grace of Akatosh. By these deeds, and others I do not mention, I claim the right to form a Family."

Ysshaya imitated her descendant's posture. "These deeds more than justify your request, Greats-Granddaughter Yssha. By my right as Clan-Mother, I permit you to establish a new Family within Clan Ysshaya. Have you chosen a name for your Family?"

"We have, Clan-Mother. We wish to be known as Family Marcurio."

"Not your own name? But I think I understand why. Very well. I welcome Family Marcurio into Clan Ysshaya."

Yssha hugged her, dropping the ceremony. "Thank you, Grams! Your new grandson is a Nord boy named Freyr. He has seen four or five summers. His parents were killed in the Stormcloak attack on Whiterun." She sighed. "Kits of my own will have to wait, unfortunately, because I have too many dangerous things to do before I will have time for a pregnancy. And I do not care to get killed while carrying them."

Grams smiled. "Your time will come, youngling, though not immediately. You are blessed by both Akatosh and Talos, you know."

Yssha nodded. "Yes ... both of them have made that abundantly clear, though mostly through things I would rather have avoided." She grimaced. "The blessings of a Divine sometimes feel more like curses."

Ysshaya grinned. "They can, can't they? At least for people like us, because we're usually more conduits for the bigger blessings than recipients ourselves." She grinned again. "Not that we don't get plenty of the smaller blessings in the process and afterward, of course."

"Like friends and family," Yssha agreed. "And even the opportunity to _be_ the conduit for the larger things." She sensed approval at that, and smiled. "I can't 'port home from here, but Odahviing is waiting for me, and you have the range to 'port back. Would you like to meet your new grandson?"

"Of course!" Grams grinned. "I was planning to visit soon anyway - I have some good news for Marcurio. Just let me tell Sir Stildyne where I'm going, and that I'll he heading home from there."

When that was done, the two women joined Odahviing. Grams greeted him with a smile. "It's good to see you again. Thanks for bringing Yssha here - would you mind flying us to her home? I could 'port both of us, but I must confess, I like flying too much to pass up any chance I get."

Odahviing gape-grinned. "Much like Dovahkiin, then. Certainly, I will fly you there happily, and if she does not need me for something, I will bring you back as well." He extended his wing, and when they were settled, made it a leisurely flight back.

Rayya and Freyr were gone when they arrived, so Grams greeted her other new clansfolk, then grinned at Marcurio. "I talked to your father a couple of days ago. He tried to act reluctant, but I've known him too long for that to be believable. I played along, though, and finally got him to admit he's proud of you. You've been reinstated, and have a standing invitation to visit any time you feel like it."

"Thanks," Marcurio said. "I'm still pretty angry about him disinheriting me in the first place, but this'll let me see my mother and sibs again. So I'll even be polite to him."

"I shall try to do the same, if I am there when you visit," Yssha said. "But he harmed you, if not physically, so I may have the same difficulty I do with Delphine."

"So, what have you four been up to since my last visit?" Grams asked.

"Preparing to combat the heart of the vampire menace," Yssha replied. "We have just obtained the weapon we need to do so. In the course of that mission, I was given a Shout that restores Falmer to their state before the Dwemer betrayed their trust, so as I encounter their nests, I do so. The restored ones now call themselves Odmer, because Falmer has so many negative meanings now."

Grams nodded. "That's good. I like the way you're building things up, not just destroying your enemies and then retreating. I like to think I'd have done the same, but most of what needed rebuilt after the Oblivion Crisis was political, something I'm absolutely no good at. Between the time Martin ... left ... after defeating Mehrunes Dagon, and the Great War, things were pretty good for the average citizen, if not for the Court until the first Titus took the Ruby Throne."

"I have been fortunate in being able to do so," Yssha pointed out. "Until Odahviing swore fealty to me, I was certain I would spend the rest of my life destroying dragons and seeking out whatever Stormcloaks did not return to their families. That oath made the Skyguard a possibility, and then reality. The Odmer are being restored thanks to a Shout given to twin dragons by Akatosh shortly after their betrayal, and passed on to me."

"If I may?" Nevan said.

"Certainly!" Grams said.

"We think maybe the renewal is her purpose, now that she, Marcurio, and the Tongues have destroyed Alduin - a renewed world after his death, rather than a whole new world after ours."

The older Khajiit looked thoughtful. "You know," she said at last, "I like that idea, and it fits the facts we know." She turned to Yssha. "But if that's the case, I feel sorry for you. As much as needs renewal, just here in Tamriel, that's going to take a _long_ time. At least I got to retire between the Crisis and the Second Great War."

When Rayya and Freyr entered, both carrying packages, Yssha and Ysshaya both rose, smiling.

He looked back and forth between them. "Uh ... Mama? You're twins?"

Yssha knelt, holding out her arms. "No, dear. I am Mama, she is Grams. We just look an awful lot alike."

Grams joined them. "Hello, Freyr. It's good to have you with us. I'm sorry I didn't bring you a present this time."

He looked confused. "A present? What's that?"

Yssha sighed. A _very_ poor family, then, if the child didn't even know what a present was! But proud, given they had taught him basic manners.

Grams smiled at the boy. "A present is something a person gives you that you don't really need, just want. Grams and Gramps do that for fun."

He still looked confused. "Then what Rayya got is presents?"

"Two sets of clothing, a week's worth of small-clothes, a wooden sword, and a picture book," the housecarl supplied.

"Two of them," Yssha said gently. "But you need the clothes, so those are just because you are part of the family. Like food."

"But I have clothes. Just not nice ones, like she got."

Yssha and Grams traded looks. His clothes were a bit better than rags, but not by much, and not particularly clean. Probably flea-infested, too.

Grams nodded, and cast a death spell designed for insects, then a low-level healing spell for the bites the boy must have.

When the spell-light faded, he looked startled. "Huh? What'ja do, Grams? I don't itch!"

"Killed your fleas, and healed the bites," Grams said. "You do know what magic is, don't you?"

"Sorta, but not much."

"Well, that was a little bit of magic. Living here, you'll see more."

"Nice!" He grinned, then sobered. "I ... uh. Ma an' Da said I should bath ever' couple of days, but I haven't had one since they ... died."

Rayya nodded, blinking. "I'll fill a tub, and if one of you mages would heat the water, I'll see to his bath."

"I'll take care of that." Nevan rose, following the housecarl.

When Rayya returned, reporting that Freyr had almost fallen asleep during his bath and she'd put him to bed, Yssha smiled. "That is good. He was clearly being raised well, and we will continue that. Will you want a nursemaid's assistance for the times we must be away?"

"Now that construction's been completed, I don't think so." Rayya grinned. "One small boy shouldn't be too much of a challenge for an Alik'r warrior and a guard dragon with team, I don't think."

"Probably not, but if you change your mind, hire one," Yssha told her.

"I will." Rayya frowned briefly. "It's a shame there aren't any other children close enough for him to play with, though I suppose taking him into town would help."

"Hmm." Yssha thought briefly. "I need to tell Jarl Siddgeir that Pinewatch is empty. I am sure he will waste no time finding a purchaser for it."

"Why not buy it yourself?" Nevan asked. "That way you'd have some control over who our neighbors are."

"A good idea," Yssha agreed. "If he will permit me to, that is."

"I can't think why he'd refuse," Marcurio said. "It's definitely worth a try, at least."

"Tomorrow before we go to Fort Dawnguard, then," Yssha decided.

Siddgeir was slouched on his throne as usual when they entered. He looked at Yssha as she approached. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit, Ysmir?"

"I wish to report that the Skyguard has cleared a nest of bandits out of Pinewatch. With your permission, I would like to purchase it."

Siddgeir looked curious. "Why? You already have a fine manor and estate here, as well as all your other places."

"Because we have adopted a child, my Jarl, and it would be good to have others living close enough for him to have playmates."

"It's hard to imagine the Dragonborn as a parent, but why not? You got one bunch of uncooperative bandits out of my hair, and it'll put Pinewatch back on the tax rolls. Talk to Nenya."

"Thank you, my Jarl." She stepped back as he waved dismissal, then looked around for Nenya.

The steward approached her, smiling. "I heard, Ysmir. Considering that it was a bandit den, it probably isn't in very good condition, and it's fairly small, so the price is five thousand septims."

"That sounds fair enough." Marcurio handed her the money.

Nenya handed over the key. "I hope you find a family with a good playmate or more for your son."

"Thank you," Yssha said. "I am sure we will. Several homes in Whiterun were damaged or destroyed in that battle, and some are still uninhabitable. I will speak to Hulda, at the Bannered Mare, next time I am in town."

Nenya chuckled. "Yes, innkeepers know that sort of thing. I doubt Pinewatch will be empty long."

"I hope not, but we must leave now."

"Always on the go, Dragonborn! Don't let me keep you, and blessings of the Nine on you and yours."

"You as well." Yssha smiled, and the team left for Fort Dawnguard.


	62. Kindred Judgement

Chapter 62 - Kindred Judgement

After breakfast the next morning - with Freyr exclaiming over the food and his new clothes - Yssha and her team departed for Fort Dawnguard.

Inside, they found Isran pacing, with a scowl, but he brightened slightly when he saw the team, and the bow slung over Yssha's back. "Is that it?" he demanded. "Auriel's Bow?"

"Yes. And I have a number of sunhallowed arrows, which should help against Harkon and his clan." Though perhaps she should give the bow and arrows to Nevan, who was a far better archer than she could ever hope to be!

"Good." Yssha was startled when he actually smiled. "I've heard that bow described in tales, but I could never have imagined its beauty."

"Nor could I." Yssha cocked he head. "We will be going after Harkon as soon as possible. The Skyguard will help with the initial assault, but I think it would be good to have experienced vampire hunters for the interior. So we need your help."

Isran nodded. "Indeed. The day hasn't been won while Harkon still walks Tamriel. But what of Serana? Can she be trusted to lift a blade against her own kind? Her own family?"

"These are my family now," Serana said. "There's no one in the castle now I consider as family."

Isran studied her briefly. "I suppose that's as much as I can hope for. Let me address the Dawnguard, and then we'll be off. The men deserve to know that we've finally gained the upper hand."

Then he called loudly. "Everyone! Gather round! Come on, we haven't got all day!"

When the Dawnguard had gathered, he addressed them. "For too long we've allowed these vampires to poison the night and kill our people! Now, we finally have the means to strike back! We now have Auriel's Bow. The gods themselves have favored us and we must answer with action! The time has come to finally put an end to Harkon and his unholy prophecy! We will march on their lair and destroy those wretched abominations so they can no longer corrupt our world! This is our fight and this is our fate!"

The Dawnguard cheered, and Isran turned to Yssha. "We're on our way. Your Skyguard will get there first, of course, so give us a chance to get into position before you attack, all right?"

"Of course, and they will remain out of sight until I call them, so the vampires are not alerted before you arrive."

"Good. We'll meet you there, then, late tomorrow. Attack at sunrise the following day; I'm not going to take a nest of vampires on when they're rested and we're tired."

"Agreed. We will be there."

Yssha and her team were waiting a bit back from the shore the following afternoon when Isran and the Dawnguard arrived and began to pitch camp. "Are your people in position?" Isran asked.

"No; there is no reason for them to arrive before dawn. I wish you did not have to camp out, either."

Isran shrugged. "Don't worry, Ysmir. We're all used to it, and we're far enough from the castle it won't even have to be a cold camp."

"Do you wish fresh meat? Odahviing still has time to find a deer or elk if you do."

Isran surprised her with a chuckle. "Thanks, but no. We got an elk a couple of hours ago, so we're in good shape." He paused. "I know this won't be the end of all vampires, but it's going to help a lot with Harkon and the Volkihar bunch gone. I feel more optimistic about things than I have in a long time."

"I am glad. It is good to see you smile."

"It's good to be able to." Isran sighed. "Of course, it may be premature. It's quite possible none of us will survive tomorrow."

"Or all of us may, and none of them," Yssha pointed out. "We will see you again in the morning."

As promised, Yssha and her team joined Isran and the Dawnguard the next morning just at sunrise, this time on the shore of the castle's island. Apparently the vampires had heard or seen the Dawnguard moving in, because a number of them emerged from the main entrance.

Yssha didn't wait to coordinate with Isran this time. "NU!" she called, at full volume.

Seconds later, dragons were swooping and Shouting flame. Not much later, the bridge to the castle was empty ... well, littered with vampire and gargoyle bodies. Isran gave Yssha a fierce grin. "We're done with this when none of them are left standing. Let's go."

He charged forward, the Dawnguard and Yssha's team following.

Inside the castle, things were less simple. The fighting was the confused melee Yssha disliked so much, at least until she got to what Serana said was the Volkihar Cathedral entrance. She opened it with a pull chain, and found Harkon waiting. His attention went to Serana first.

"So, you've returned. Is your... pet keeping you entertained?"

"You know why we're here."

"Of course I do. You disappoint me, Serana. You've taken everything I provided for you and thrown it all away for this... pathetic being."

"This pathetic being, as you call her, is the Dragonborn. She killed the World-Eater and saved Nirn from destruction - which would've included _your_ destruction!" She paused long enough to catch her breath, and continued. "Provided for me? Are you insane? You've destroyed our family. You've killed other vampires. All over some prophecy that we barely understand. No more. I'm done with you. You will not touch her."

"So, I see this dragon has fangs. Your voice drips with the venom of your mother's influence. How alike you've become."

"No ... Because unlike her, I'm not afraid of you. Not any more."

Harkon turned his attention to Yssha. "And you ... it appears I have you to thank for turning my daughter against me. I knew it was only a matter of time before she'd return with hatred in her heart."

"Hatred born of your neglect."

A small price to pay for the betterment of our kind."

"You are blind. Killing the sun would be the end of the vampires, as well."

Harkon sneered. "It would be our salvation!"

He was a fanatic, and there was no point in arguing with such, Yssha knew. "Enough of this!"

"Yes, quite," Harkon agreed. "I'm growing weary of speaking to you and my traitorous daughter. I'll give you a single chance to turn over the bow to me. There will not be a second."

"That will not happen."

"Very well then, you leave me no choice!" With that, he summoned skeletons and gargoyles, and the fight began.

Serana had warned them it would be essential to keep her father away from the altar, since he could use it to restore his health, so Yssha took up her position close enough to it that she'd be able to hit him with sunhallowed arrrows when he approached. She felt ... not exactly useless, but like she was only backup to the other three. But when they'd discussed tactics over dinner last night, she'd agreed that she was the logical one for this job. Nevan and Serana were both physically stronger, especially with Nevan battle-prepped and even more deadly than when she'd had the life-combat with him, and Marcurio was a much better mage.

The three did a good job of battling Harkon, who kept moving around enough she had a hard time keeping track of him. Then he turned into a flock of bats, materializing above the altar inside a shield.

Yssha loosed the arrow she'd had nocked and ready. This close, she couldn't miss, and didn't; his shield vanished, and he was forced back into combat. That happened three more times before he appeared beside the altar, crying out, "No... Serana... your own father..." and subsided into a pile of reddish dust.

Yssha returned Auriel's Bow to her back, and drew her mace to get in a few blows at a nearby gargoyle while the others finished off their own last foes. Isran, who apparently hadn't been able to get into the Cathedral earlier, hurried in and over to her. "It's over. He's dead, and the prophecy dies with him."

When Yssha nodded, putting her mace back on her belt, he turned to Serana. "I ... I suppose this is difficult for you."

Serana shook her head. "I think my father really died a long time ago. This was just ... the end of of something else. I did what needed to be done. Nothing more."

Isran didn't agree. "I think perhaps ... I think you did more than that. You have my thanks."

Then he turned back to Yssha. "So, the beast is destroyed. Not only that, but Auriel's Bow is in safe hands. The Dawnguard will now be dedicated to safeguarding it, making sure that prophecy will never come to pass. You've served Skyrim as well. Even with these vampires gone, the fight isn't completely over. Once we're settled back in at the fort, there will be more work to do. We'd be honored to have you join us."

"We will, from time to time. But you will understand that it cannot be our first priority for some time, if ever."

"I understand, Dragonborn. But know that you and your people are always welcome at Fort Dawnguard, and we'll give you what help we can as we're able."

Yssha smiled. "Kill Thalmor as well as vampires, then. Not other Altmer or Bosmer, just the Thalmor. Oh, and when I clear a Dwemer ruin of Falmer, let Sorine meet with the Odmer there."

"The first will be a pleasure," Isran said, "but what are Odmer?"

"I have not said?" Yssha sighed, and went over the story again. "I hope they and Sorine will be able to make sense, together, of Dwemer technology."

"Technology?" Isran asked, clearly puzzled.

"How they made things and how those things work," Nevan contributed. "Especially the more complicated ones."

"Ah." Isran nodded. "Yes, she'd enjoy that. Very well."

His attention went back to Serana. "I suppose this place is yours now. Do you have any plans for it?"

"My mother's, actually, when we inform her that Harkon is dead. As for what she'll want to do with it, I have no idea. Why?"

"Because it'd be good to have a second Dawnguard outpost at this end of Skyrim."

Serana grinned, letting her fangs show briefly. "I don't think she'd go along with that, but you could ask when - well, if - she comes back. But I know I'd be uncomfortable with people who want to kill me living in my home."

"Huh. You have a point," Isran conceded. "Forget that idea, then But it'd be a shame not to clean this place up and put it to good use."

Serana smiled, this time without fangs. "You have a point as well, but that will have to be up to Mother."

Isran nodded. "We'll be getting back home, then. Blessings of the Nine to you all."

"And to you." When he left, Yssha and her team explored the castle, but took only potions of blood, which Serana called field rations. Yssha had no intention of stealing from Serana's mother, and as Serana had said, this place was Valerica's now.

Serana turned to Yssha. "Speaking of my mother, I'd like to let her know as soon as we can that it's safe for her to return."

Yssha nodded. "Since we are already here, this would be as good a time as any."

They made their way to Valerica's workshop, where the portal was still open. That was no danger, since only one being down there could travel to the world of the living, and that was the one they were going to tell about their victory. "I am not sure I will be able to go with you, though," she said.

"Mother said someone who'd become attuned to the Cairn could return any time, remember? And we were certainly there long enough for that to happen."

"No. When your talk became personal, I stopped listening, and must have missed that."

Serana grinned. "That was thoughtful of you, but not necessary. We were just clearing the air a bit. Come on, let's give it a try. I'd like her to meet my _new_ family."

Yssha had no trouble following her down the steps to the Cairn this time, and the two made their way to the Boneyard with only a couple of Mistmen trying to stop them. They found Valerica at her workbench, her back to them. "Mother!" Serana called. "We have news!"

Valerica turned, looking surprised when she saw Yssha. "I hadn't expected to see you again!"

"I did tell you we would return for you when Harkon was dead. He was killed less than an hour ago, and we are here to fulfill that promise." Yssha smiled, though she didn't know if Valerica could interpret it.

"You actually did it?" Valerica looked disbelieving until Serana nodded, then she smiled. "It will be good to go home. I'm guessing the castle's empty?"

Yssha nodded. "No more vampires, at least, and the Dawnguard would have liberated any prisoners they were holding, so I believe so. I fear it is littered with bodies, however."

Valerica shrugged. "I've dealt with a lot of bodies over the centuries," she said. "Getting rid of them and cleaning up the mess will give me something to do. Give me a bit to pack up a few things I'd like to take along, and we'll go."

It didn't take her long to pack, and within minutes the three were out of the Boneyard and heading for the portal. Serana brought her mother up to date as they walked - a summary rather than the whole story - and by the time they got back to her workshop, she'd given Yssha the same pledge Serana and the dragons had. Why she did it, Yssha didn't know, but Serana trusted her mother, so Yshha would also.

When they arrived, Yssha introduced Valerica to Nevan and Marcurio, then Valerica looked around her workshop and sighed. "It's good to be home at last. But I hate to think what the garden is going to be like after all this time."

Serana grimaced. "It's pretty bad, I'm afraid. And after the battle, the Great Hall and Cathedral are no better. I know you can do the clean-up by yourself, but some servants or thralls would make it a lot faster."

"And I do like a clean house. Hmmm." Valerica thought for a moment. "Thralls, I think. Normal servants are hard to find for a vampire's household." She turned to Yssha. "Would you happen to know of any bandit dens nearby? I assume those are still acceptable targets."

Yssha nodded. "Bandits, necromancers, Thalmor and such are quite acceptable, since they prey on the defenseless. But no, I know of no nearby dens."

"Try for Thalmor or necromancers, Mother," Serana advised. "Bandits rarely bathe, and they taste awful. On the other hand, they're easier to find."

"Yeah," Nevan said. "Thalmor are getting scarce in Skyrim since the Emperor turned the Legion and Skyguard loose."

"From what Serana told me, that's a good thing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to start cleaning until I can find suitable thralls. Feel free to visit, and if you need ingredients, just go through what I have here until the garden is yielding again."

Yssha thanked her and the the team left, clearly dismissed.


	63. Raven Rock

Chapter 63 - Raven Rock

As they were having breakfast the next morning, Yssha debated with herself about the team's next mission, finally nodding. "With Harkon destroyed, I believe we can take time for a more personal mission."

"We're finally going after those cultists?" Marcurio asked.

"Yes." She smiled. "I am not currently needed for the war effort, and none of the other tasks I have agreed to do are urgent, so I feel no guilt about going after people who are trying to kill only me. But we will stop in Whiterun first to speak to Hulda at the Bannered Mare about a family for Pinewatch." She turned to Freyr, still smiling. "I am sure you would like someone to play with, so I will try to find them."

"Yes, mama - please!" Freyr grinned eagerly. "Rayya's nice, an' the dragon teams, but I think they forgot how t' play."

Yssha chuckled. "I will do my best for you, son. Most grown-ups have, I am afraid."

At the Bannered Mare, she approached Hulda. "I hope you can help me, my friend. Do you know Freyr, a boy who was orphaned during the battle?"

Hulda nodded. "I also know that you took off with him on dragonback. I'm guessing you adopted him."

"Correct. I would like to find a family with children, at least one near his age, who would be willing to move next door to me, so he may have playmates."

"There are several that fit that bill," Hulda said. "A couple are staying here, matter of fact. Hmm." She frowned briefly. "Karl and Ingrid will probably be your best bet, if the rent's not too expensive. They lived close to Freyr's parents, so the kids may already be friends. But they lost their house, and don't have much left."

"That would be ideal! I would like to meet them."

"They're upstairs." Hulda called Saadia and sent her upstairs to get the couple, then said, "Why don't you use the table in the back room, for a bit of privacy?"

"Thank you. That would be good."

Yssha waited impatiently, but had to admit it wasn't long before the two Nords arrived. She rose and bowed. "Thank you for joining me. Did Hulda tell you why I wished to see you?"

Karl nodded. "You've adopted Freyr, and want him to have playmates nearby. After the battle, we wouldn't mind getting the children out of the city, especially with another war coming, but I'm not sure we can afford it. We lost everything when our home was destroyed."

"If you choose to move to Pinewatch, it will cost you nothing, since it is by my invitation and for Freyr's benefit. Although I believe you and your family will benefit as well; my property, by the insistence of the Skyguard commanders, has a full-time Skyguard team of dragon and riders on duty."

The couple exchanged glances, and Ingrid nodded. "That alone will suffice, Ysmir, if we can afford the rent. Though we'll have to pay Hulda back first; she's been allowing us to run a tab until we can pay her. Which will probably be some time."

"We can discuss the rent once you are re-established. The Pinewatch cottage is not large, but there is a cave complex accessible from the cellar that is quite extensive. The Skyguard who emptied it tell me there are crafting stations there, if you have any of those skills, as well as living quarters for the bandits who used to inhabit it."

Karl blinked back tears. "You are too generous, Lady Ysmir, but we accept with gratitude. How soon may we move in?"

"I am not so much generous, in this case, as greedy for my son's happiness," Yssha said, tossing him a coinpurse. "Use that to pay your tab and move in as soon as possible, if you would be so kind."

* * *

Yssha was glad to see that word of the Skyguard had reached Solstheim, because no one fired at Odahviing when they approached Raven Rock, and they were approached by someone who looked official. He smiled at Yssha. "Welcome to Raven Rock, Dragonborn. I am Adril Arano, the Second Councilor here. You've already solved the worst of our dragon problem when you did the same for Skyrim, so I must ask why you're here."

Yssha introduced her team before replying. "Cultists from here, claiming I am a False Dragonborn, have been trying to kill me. We wish to investigate that, and hopefully eliminate the threat."

"Oh? Tell me about these cultists."

"They follow what they seem to think is a Dragonborn, a being named Miraak. They wear what look like imitation Dragon Priest masks with tendrils or possibly tentacles around it. Would you happen to know anything about this Miraak?"

Arano frowned. "Miraak ... I ... I'm not sure that I do."

"Think hard, please," Yssha said. "This is important."

"I ... I'm unsure. I swear I know the name, but I cannot place it."

Yssha sighed. "Even a hint would help, if you could."

"I don't think so. I'm not ... it's so vague. The name has something to do with the Earth Stone, I think. But I'm not sure what."

"Thank you, Second Councilor. Ah, what is the Earth Stone?"

"One of the All-Maker Stones, to the west of the city. You can see it from here, but you have to go through the city to actually get to it."

"Thank you again."

As she and the team prepared to enter the city, he spoke again. "Just remember, Raven Rock is sovereign territory of House Redoran. This is Morrowind, not Skyrim. While you're here you will be expected to abide by our laws."

Yssha purred. "To the best of our ability, certainly. Though we may offend inadvertently until we learn any laws you have here that we might not know."

"Just use common sense, and you should have no trouble. We do have some laws I don't think Skyrim does, but you aren't likely to run afoul of them."

"Good - I would hate to offend, especially involuntarily. And I look forward to exploring while we seek our answers. I have not been to Morrowind before, so I am sure there is much to learn."

"Enjoy your stay, then, Dragonborn."

Some of the architecture here was like nothing she'd seen before. Some was very familiar, wooden houses like many in Cyrodiil and Skyrim ... but others looked more like cave entrances, constructed like domes with arched entrances. She was heading west, deciding to check them out, when she heard the clanging of a smith, and followed the noise.

Yes, it was a smithy, and she was curious about some of the peculiar armor she'd seen, but what caught her attention here was a shadowmark beside the entrance to the house. She approached the smith, grinning. "Are you aware you have a mark beside your door?"

He chuckled. "Glover Mallory here, sister. It's been a long time since someone from the Guild's bothered to make their way out here. So tell me... how's my brother Delvin? Still spending his nights at the Ragged Flagon trying to win Vex's heart?"

Yssha chuckled. "He is doing very well, though Vex is still spurning his advances."

"Good to hear he's well. Damn layabout never even bothers to send his own flesh and blood a letter saying how he's doing. Can you imagine? Anyway, I suppose you're looking for work. Well, I've got bad news. This place is dryer than a damn bone."

Yssha smiled. "If you have a few moments free for private discussion, I can give you some current Guild news. But I will not do so where everyone can hear."

"Come inside, then." He led them into his home. "What is it?"

"I am not sure how much you know of recent Guild history, so I am unsure where to begin. Had we begun to fall on hard times when you left?"

"Yeah. Pickings were beginning to get skimpy when I moved here. Why?"

Yssha gave him the whole story, from Mercer's betrayal of the Nightingales and looting of the Guild treasury to her selection as Guildmaster. By the time she was finished, he looked dazed. "That's ... quite the story, Guildmaster. But then maybe you can help me with something. The Guild's got a problem out here that I've been trying to deal with for years, but haven't been able to handle."

Yssha looked at him curiously. "A problem Delvin's brother cannot handle?"

Glover flushed. "Don't look at me like that. I'm all alone out here, with no one to watch my back. And besides, it's really my problem anyway. I caused it."

"What is the problem, then?"

"A fellow Breton who went by the name Esmond Tyne showed up on my doorstep about a fortnight ago. He noticed the shadowmark like you did, and I thought he was one of us."

"So I would assume you trusted him, and he stole from you."

"That he did. Right out from under my nose. Can you believe it? It's my own formula for improved bonemold. Took me years to perfect."

Yssha sighed. Well, he was Guild, and he'd lost something extremely valuable, so it was her responsibility to help. "Where is he?"

"Well, before he ran off, he was talking some nonsense about trying to fence goods to the rieklings at Castle Karstaag. I told him he was crazy to even think about talking to those vicious little buggers, but he wouldn't listen. I'd bet a fat purse of coin that he's either dead or hiding out up there."

"We will retrieve your fomula, guildmate, but it may not be right away. Our primary purpose here is to find out about a cult that is trying to kill me, and hopefully eliminate that threat."

"Whenever you can, Guildmaster. Self-defense always comes first, but if you retrieve my formula, I'll make sure you're set up right. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and if you happen to see Crescius Caerellius, would you get him to return my Ancient Nordic pickaxe? That foolish old man's taken it again, and that's the only kind that'll crack stalhrim!"

Getting the pickaxe back shouldn't take long, so she'd do that first, assuming Crescius was in town. "Where would I find him?"

"This time of day, he's probably in the mine up there. It's played out, but he's convinced there's still ebony there."

"I shall speak to him, then. Once I am done, though, we should go to the Earth Stone. What is the best way to get there?"

He pointed to the street past his smelter. "Follow that out of town, then you'll be close enough to see it. Just be careful - things've gotten strange out there."

Yssha nodded, and led the team to the mine entrance. Almost as soon as they entered, they heard voices, and followed them into what looked like a combination office and storeroom.

"Damn it, woman! I said to leave me be!" the man said.

The woman wasn't giving up, though. "Crescius, last time you explored the mine you almost fell to your death. I'm not spending the rest of my days as a widow!"

"And I'm telling you that I'll do whatever it takes to find my great-grandfather's remains. He's down here, I can feel it."

"That was almost two centuries ago. There may be nothing left to find."

"Just let me go, woman!"

"Crescius, you're an obstinate old fool and you're going to get yourself killed."

Well, at least she'd found the right man, Yssha thought.

The argument was interrupted when he noticed the team. "Who in the blazes are you? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I am Yssha of Clan Ysshaya, also known as Dragonborn. Glover Mallory would like his Ancient Nordic pickaxe back."

"Dragonborn, is it? Asking for a pickaxe?" Crescius got a thoughtful look on his face. "I'll give it to you if you go down in the mine and find my great-grandfather's remains. You heard Aphia; she's convinced it's too dangerous for me, and she's probably right. But mark my words, these mines hold a secret that could put Raven Rock back on the map."

Yssha hid a sigh. She should have known that it wouldn't be as simple a task as she'd thought. "Very well. What secret is that?"

"A secret the East Empire Company swept under the rug two centuries ago. It killed my great-grandfather, and left Raven Rock with a worthless and tainted mine."

"And who are we looking for?"

"Gratian Caerellius. He spent his entire life exploring ancient ruins across Tamriel and he died in these very mines almost 200 years ago. East Empire Company called it 'a terrible accident,' claiming that he was lost in a rockfall, but I know better."

"Have you any proof?"

"My wife and I were cleaning out our home, and we came across some of my great-grandfather's things locked in an old chest. I found an unsent letter he'd written to the East Empire Company, and a key. It describes a discovery that was made in the mine by some of the diggers. They wanted Gratian to take a closer look. The East Empire Company must have felt it was of great value, as they locked that section of the mine off from everyone else."

Maybe this would be worth the delay, Yssha thought. The cultists wouldn't be going anywhere. "Is the key for the locked section of the mine?"

"It is. Well, I assume it is. I haven't been able to find the entrance."

"That does sound suspicious," Yssha agreed.

"Finally! Someone who believes me. I want to know what happened to Gratian, and what the East Empire Company is keeping from all of us."

"Can you tell me where we should begin searching?"

"Gratian kept a journal of notes about his discoveries. If you can find his ... remains, I'm hoping it will help. Here's everything I have. The letter, the key. Please, do this for me so I can finally regain the credibility that I've lost."

"Can you tell me any more about this claimed accident?"

"I know I don't have much to go on. I have that unsent letter, and that's really it. But I also have a miner's instinct that's run in my family from before Gratian was even born. I may sound like a crazy old man to you, but I'm telling you, the tunnels here are solid ... they would never collapse like that."

"Is that why you were arguing with your wife?"

"She thinks that old age has addled my mind... that I'm seeing things when there's nothing to be seen. I realize she cares about me, but she has to understand that I can't rest until I find out what happened to Gratian. He hesitated. "Look, if you don't find anything, I'll settle down peacefully and never set foot in this mine again. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time ... even before I discovered Gratian's old things. I just hope you don't mistake my enthusiasm for insanity. Be careful down there, the mine can be treacherous."

A ladder led down into the main part of the mine, then there was a path that took them past a number of crates and barrels with the East Empire Company logo, encountering a couple of frostbite spiders and a skeever. Yssha used her mace to break through a wooden barricade, which revealed a path leading to an iron gate.

"It's been simple so far," Marcurio observed. "I'm willing to bet this is where it starts to get nasty."

"I would not bet against you," Yssha agreed. "What do you think - Falmer or draugr?"

"Probably draugr," Marcurio said. "Falmer would be too easy, with your new Shout."

Yssha chuckle-purred. "A good point, beloved. Well, we have fought them before. Be ready." With that, she unlocked the gate, and they went on.

It was draugr, all right, mostly the stronger varieties, including a couple of Deathlords with ebony weapons. They fought their way through the mine, avoiding traps as in any other dungeon, until they came to a huge chamber with two waterfalls feeding a river that disappeared deeper underground. Across the river, Yssha saw what looked like a couple of skeletons crumpled on the ground. When they got there, they found Gratian's journal and a very unusual sword, with a door on the far wall unlike anything any of them had seen before. The journal was fairly lengthy and included several drawings - but the critical part now was Gratian's description of his experiments with the sword and door.

"I'm fairly certain that the key to the door involves the use of the Bloodskal Blade. When swinging the weapon, I'm noticing a ribbon of mystical energy emanating from it. I think by swinging the sword in different directions, it's possible to manipulate this ribbon and solve whatever puzzle this door presents. I hope to get well enough to put this to the test soon... each swing is a huge effort."

After that was nothing but the final entry as he was dying.

Yssha took the Bloodskal Blade and approached the strange door, noticing red-glowing lines on each side. She turned to the others. "If this emits energy, you had best stay back."

"Right," Marcurio said, and the three got behind her.

Yssha did some experimenting, then managed to run the blade's energy along the red-glowing lines. It was tricky, having to move sideways along the line while swinging the blade, but eventually she succeeded. A section of wall receded, but another, with another red line, appeared. She kept up her efforts, and finally a red line appeared in the middle of the door, running its full height. This one was easy, a simple vertical stroke, and the door opened.

On the other side was a chest on a ledge around a water-filled area, and on the far side of the huge chamber, a Word Wall. Yssha was more interested in the Word Wall than she was in the chest, so she started around the water toward it.

She had only taken a few steps, though, when a Dragon Priest appeared from the center of the water, and they were embroiled in another battle. As usual against one of these, it was a longer fight than usual, and everyone had wounds to heal when they were done. Yssha took care of her own, then turned to Serana, who didn't seem to be doing anything about her wounds. "Do you not have Restoration spells?"

The vampire shook her head. "Vampires heal quickly enough I've never felt the need. I can handle the pain until then."

"There is no need." Yssha cast Necromantic Healing on her clan-sister. "There."

Serana sighed in relief. "Thanks - that does feel a lot better."

Yssha smiled. "I am glad." Then she made her way to the Word Wall, where Mul pushed into her. Reading the inscription, she frowned. "Miraak again!"

"What's it say?" Nevan asked.

"All praise glorious Miraak, most powerful of all priests, whose strength was granted by the Gardener of Men."

"Gardener of Men?" Nevan asked.

"Hermaeus Mora," Marcurio said. "The Daedric Prince of Knowledge - who is not happy with Yssha and me, because she refused to serve him."

"From what I understand about Daedric Princes, that was a very good idea, but ... is he going to want revenge?"

"I hope not," Yssha said, "but it is certainly possible. There is no point in worrying about it, however, so let us proceed."

"I think that's the 'back door' over there." Marcurio pointed northwest, to a door that hadn't been there earlier.

When they went through it, they found a strange black book on a pedestal. Yssha started to pick it up, then hesitated. It had been guarded by a Dragon Priest, behind a Word Wall that mentioned both Miraak and Hermaeus Mora; should she even touch it?

Probably not, she decided, but her curiosity overpowered her good sense, and she opened it.

And found herself in a very strange place, with acid-smelling air, tentacles lashing at her out of black water, and a metal-looking pathway leading to a set of steps. This was definitely not Nirn, or even Mundus, and she was alone, with no idea how to get back. She still had the book, though, so maybe reading it again would work?

That could wait, though, she decided. She had a feeling there was something in this peculiar place that would help her Family, so she felt an obligation to continue.

At least things didn't get any stranger, except for the kind of foes she faced, as she made her way through a maze of flying pages and books. Plant-like things opened doors, floating tentacled things tried to block her way, huge black humanoids tried to stomp her, and since she had no idea of what she was searching for, Pathfinder couldn't work, so she blundered her way through until she found another book on a pedestal, this one huge.

She sighed and opened it. Inside were three spells, and holding her hand over them told her what each would do. Lover's Insight would help, and Scholar's Insight would enable her to learn more quickly from skill books, but Companion's Insight - she caught her breath. That one was a real prize, protecting the people with her from her attacks, spells, and Shouts in combat!

As soon as she decided, the spell moved into her as a new ability, and she sagged in relief. She was no longer a danger to those she loved!

She straightened, smiling. Now was the time to try opening the smaller book again, in the hope of returning to Nirn.

She did, it did, and Marcurio snatched her into a hug. "Dearling! What happened?"

She took time to enjoy his embrace as well as she could through armor before she replied. "The book took me somewhere I would much rather not go again, but I found another book that gave me a gift I am extremely grateful for. I will no longer injure any of you in combat, with my attacks, spells, or Shouts."

"Huh. Want to try that out here?" Marcurio asked.

"I do not know if it is effective outside of combat, but it would be well to know, yes. So prepare a Healing spell, just in case."

Marcurio grinned, his hands glowing gold. "Go ahead."

"Yol!" and flame gushed over her husband.

When it subsided, he grinned again. "No effect on me whatever, dearling, other than a mild feeling of warmth."

"Wonderful! Then I may use things I would not dare to, before."

"Yeah. So let's get out of here and give Crescius the journal he needs."

"Of course." Yssha led the way up a spiral staircase, which took them to another cave with a pull-chain. Here they ran into bandits, easy after the draugr. The most notable treasure in the small cave was a book entitled Deathbrand, about a pirate of that name, with a folded sketch map with Haknir's Shoal marked on it.

Nevan laughed. "A genuine pirate treasure map! Can we follow it, please? After we stop the cultists, of course."

Yssha nodded, smiling. "We do not need the money, but some extra never hurts, and I confess it sounds like fun. So yes, when time permits."

They made it out of the cave to the outside part of the barrow, fighting more bandits - she'd heard them called reavers, here - and picking up more minor loot. Once that was finished, Yssha realized they'd come further than she'd have thought, well north of Raven Rock. There was no place that looked like a decent landing spot for Odahviing, so she 'ported them outside the town, and they went to find Crescius.

He turned out to be at home, but admitted them with no hesitation. Yssha held out the journal. "You were right, Crescius. Your great-grandfather was killed by draugr, not a rockfall. I am not a miner, but the mine seemed quite sound to me."

"Let me see that!" He practically grabbed the journal, skimming it quickly. "Ha, I knew it! Gratian's supposed cause of death was just a story to keep people away from the tombs. Now that I have his journal in hand, I can get some closure from the East Empire Company. Make them pay for lying to everyone."

"We wish you the best of luck in that," Yssha said sincerely.

"Thank you. Now, I believe I owe you a little more than a debt of gratitude for all that work you did." He went to a cabinet, and returned with a decorated pickaxe. "Here's Glover's pickaxe, as I promised, and ... it's not much, but it's the best an old, retired miner can do." He handed her a small amount of gold. "Thank you again, Dragonborn. This means more to me than you can know."

Yssha smiled, and they took their leave, stopping at the forge to return Glover's pickaxe. He told her to keep it, though, and they continued toward the Earth Stone.


	64. The Temple of Miraak

_Author's Note:I tried to post this Tuesday, but apparently the site was having a DoS attack, because I couldn't even log in for a couple of days. Apologies._

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Chapter 64 - The Temple of Miraak

As the team approached the Earth Stone, they saw townsfolk working on ... something, chanting and seemingly entranced.

"Here in his shrine, that they have forgotten. Here do we toil, that we might remember. By night we reclaim, what by day was stolen. Far from ourselves, he grows ever near to us. Our eyes once were blinded, now through him do we see. Our hands once were idle, now through them does he speak. And when the world shall listen, and when the world shall see, and when the world remembers, that world will cease to be."

As they were looking around, a Dunmer in elaborate robes approached them. "You there ... You don't seem to be in quite the same state as the others here. Very interesting. May I ask what it is you're doing here?"

"I am Yssha of Family Marcurio in Clan Ysshaya, otherwise known as the Dragonborn. May I know your name?"

"Dragonborn? Hmpf. I am Master Mage Neloth of House Telvanni. Now answer my question."

Yssha gave her version of a chuckle. It was rare to encounter someone who wasn't impressed by meeting the Dragonborn, and it was refreshing, in a way. "We are trying to find someone or something called Miraak. Cultists worshipping him or it have been trying to kill me, and I wish to put a stop to it."

Neloth frowned in puzzlement. "Miraak ... Miraak ... It sounds familiar, and yet I can't quite place ... Oh. Wait, I recall. But that makes very little sense. Miraak's been dead for thousands of years."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm not sure, but it is fascinating, isn't it? Perhaps it has some relation to what's going on here. Quite unexpected. I'm afraid I can't give you any answers. But there are ruins of an ancient temple of Miraak's toward the center of the island. If I were you, I'd look there."

"Thank you, we shall. Ah, do you have any idea what these people are building? From their chant, a shrine, but it does not resemble any I have seen before."

Neloth shrugged. "No more than you do, but I'm very interested to find out what happens when they finish."

"You are a Master Mage; can you not remove the spell that entrances them?"

"Certainly I could, but why? Doing so would interfere with whatever is going on, and I would be unable to see how this all turns out."

Yssha sighed. And she had thought Farengar an egomaniac at first! He couldn't hold a candle to this Neloth!

Well, if this Miraak had a temple in ruins, it was probably old enough for Odahviing to remember it, so she led the team to a more open area and called him.

When he landed, she smiled. "I must call on your memories again, fahdoni. Do you know of a Temple of Miraak near the center of this island?"

To her astonishment, he growled deep in his throat. "Miraak? You are involved with Miraak?"

Hadn't she mentioned the cultists to him? Thinking back, she realized she hadn't. "Yes, in that some cultists of his, or its, have been trying to kill me, and I have grown tired of it. Why?"

"Fal Tahrod. He was the First Dragonborn, and one of our priests, until he gave his allegiance to Hermaeus Mora. Herma-Mora taught him a shout to bend our will, then he began killing us. We destroyed his temple in retaliation. This is not good, thuri."

"I was taught that St. Alessia was the first Dragonborn," Yssha objected.

"In a sense, but not like Miraak and now you," Odahviing said. "A true Dragonborn is _born_ with the soul and blood of a dragon. Not only did your St. Alessia come much later than Miraak, she had a mortal soul, and was granted the dovahsos as an adult. A true Dragonborn is far more rare than the line of sovereigns joorre call Dragonborn, who had only the blood. Talos was the most recent, until you."

Yssha nodded slowly. "That would explain much. Can you tell me more of Miraak?"

"I did not know him well, so all I can do is warn you about him. You already know he is a true Dragonborn and Dragon Priest. He is also Herma-Mora's champion, and undoubtedly knows all the Shouts except Dragonrend. He has far more experience than you do, as well." Odahviing gave the impression of a scowl. "If he is still active, as it seems, he must be in Herma-Mora's realm of Oblivion, Apocrypha. Bormahu has blocked Daedra from physical access to Mundus, so you would have to fight your way through there to kill him. That would give him yet one more great advantage, your fatigue. And Herma-Mora might intervene on his behalf."

He shook his head. "Facing him alone would be suicide, thuri. I beg you not to do so."

"I may need to." Yssha sighed. "I think I was there earlier today - a place that smells of acid, with stacks of books, flying papers, tentacular monsters, and a large black humanoid type that likes to stomp. But I did not see Hermaeus Mora. Is there any way to take the team there with me?"

Odahviing nodded grimly. "That sounds like the descriptions I have heard, particularly if you gained access through a book." When she nodded, he continued. "The tentacular things are called Seekers; the other ones are Lurkers. As for taking your team ... there is one possibility, but I doubt Herma-Mora will permit it."

"Especially since he's unhappy with us because Yssha refused to serve him," Marcurio added.

"I did not know that," Odahviing said grimly. "That only makes it worse, if you should choose to go there again. But if you do, and want to fight Miraak, try being in physical contact with your team when you read the gateway book. I do not know if that will work, but as I said, going against him, any allies he might have, and possibly a Daedric Prince, is suicidal."

"I must take many risks," Yssha said, "but I am hardly suicidal. So we will try that, should the necessity arise. At any rate, I should at least check out his temple. Will you take us there?"

Odahviing sighed. "Of course, thuri, even though I think it unwise." He paused. "You would simply walk if I did not, in any case. But not today. I can smell that you have been in a barrow as well as Apocrypha, so you and yours need rest. I will take you home now, and to the Temple in the morning." He extended his wing, and they mounted, Yssha hiding a smile. He knew her entirely too well!

* * *

The Temple of Miraak was huge and impressive, even damaged. There were more of the chanting, enthralled workers here, ignoring the newcomers. The team went inside the tall outside wills, and found another All-Maker Stone in the center, along with a Nord woman warrior who wasn't enthralled, because she was calling out to the others, trying to get them to respond..When she noticed the team, she approached. "You there. What brings you to this place? Why are you here?"

Yssha introduced herself and her team. "And you?"

"I am Frea of the Skaal. I am here to either save my people, or avenge them."

"What are you saving them from?"

"I am unsure. Something has taken control of most of the people of Solstheim. It makes them forget themselves, and work on these horrible creations that corrupt the Stones, the very land itself. My father Storn, our shaman, says Miraak has returned to Solstheim, but that is impossible."

"Perhaps not," Yssha said. "Cultists serving Miraak are trying to kill us, which is why we are investigating this Temple."

"Then you and I both have reason to see what lies beneath us. Let us go. There is nothing more I can do here. The Tree Stone and my friends are beyond my help for now. We need to find a way into the temple below."

"What is the Tree Stone?"

"It is an ancient stone of power, a connection to the All-Maker. It represents one of the aspects of nature, a part of the All-Maker's creation. There are other stones around Solstheim. I fear for what has happened to them..."

"You are here by yourself?"

"There are few of us left unaffected by this curse. My father Storn, the shaman, protects them in the village. I fashioned an amulet to guard me against whatever has taken hold of the Skaal, but it is the only one of its kind. If I cannot find a way to save them, there is no hope for our people."

"What do you know about Miraak?"

"His story is as old as Solstheim itself. He served the dragons before their fall from power, as most did. A priest in their order. But unlike most, he turned against them. He made his own path, and his actions cost him dearly. The stories say he sought to claim Solstheim for himself, and the dragons destroyed him for it."

"It sounds like we have a common goal," Yssha said. "Shall we work together?"

Frea nodded. "We need to find the entrance. There is nothing out here, but I have not found the door yet."

They started looking, but before they found anything, a pair of cultists emerged, revealing the door. That simplified things, and as soon as the cultists were dead and looted, they entered the Temple. Marcurio had informed them the previous day that he hadn't set up a branch of his Porter Service here because he didn't see a point to it, but with the mine going again, he planned to.

As they made their way through the Temple, Yssha realized that while Frea was a good fighter, she wasn't much of an adventurer, leaving anything even mildly risky, other than combat, to the team. She wasn't a liability, not really, but she wasn't a great deal of help, either.

When they entered the second part of the Temple, Frea did find a chest of treasure, and not much further along, Yssha heard the chanting of a Word Wall. When they got to that room, Yssha was angered to find a dragon skeleton on the wall, obviously a trophy, and Frea said, "I had heard Miraak had turned against the Dragon Cult, but to display the remains in such a manner as this... It is no wonder the dragons razed his temple to the ground. Seeing the remains hung up like trophies must have enraged them no end." She paused, then said, "Something feels wrong. Brace yourself!"

That heralded more draugr, including a powerful one that seemed like more than a Deathlord, and was difficult to defeat. The loot was good, though, and included a key. She took time to absorb Qah from the Word Wall and have it link to the Mul she'd gotten the previous day. That was interesting, reminding her in a way of the mage armor spells like Oakflesh.

They found where the draugr's key went - the back of his crypt - and found a dining area with a couple of inert skeletons, then a kitchen and another larger dining area. It initially looked like a dead end, and Frea said as much, insisting they keep searching. Yssha was getting tired of her constant talk and advice, as if the team was totally inexperienced instead of the Draonborn's personal, and very seasoned, team. But she managed to keep her irritation to herself, and eventually they got past the apparent dead end. After more exploration, they found another of the mysterious black books.

She glanced at her three. "Let us try Odahviing's suggestion." When they crowded around, touching her and each other, she opened the book.

This was a different place, but she was sure it was Apocrypha. Unlike the first time, though, she couldn't move, and was only vaguely aware of the other three around her. Instead, she had to watch helplessly as a dragon arrived. Nearby was a Dragon Priest with a mask like the cultists', so Miraak, flanked by some Seekers.

Miraak addressed her. "Who are you to dare set foot here? Ahh ... You are Dragonborn. I can feel it. So you have slain Alduin ... Well done. I could have slain him myself, back when I walked the earth, but I chose a different path."

He paused. "You have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield! I shall demonstrate."

He Shouted "Mul... Qah Dov!"

Yes, Yssha thought. He took on the aspect of a dragon in strength and power, but still without wings. But he was continuing. " This realm is beyond you. You have no power here. And it is only a matter of time before Solstheim is also mine. I already control the minds of its people. Soon they will finish building my temple, and I can return home." He then turn to the Seekers and said, "Send them back where they came from. They can await my arrival with the rest of Tamriel." The Seekers began magical attacks, and since she couldn't move, Yssha couldn't protect herself. As she lost consciousness, she watched Miraak mount the dragon and fly away.

When she regained consciousness back in the Temple, Frea approached. "What happened to you? You read the book and then ... It seemed as though you were not really here. I could see you, but also see through you!"

"I am not really sure. However, we ... or at least I ... saw Miraak."

"Where?" she demanded. "Where is he? Can we reach him? Can we kill him?"

"The book took us to him, I believe in Apocrypha."

"This is a dangerous thing, then. We should return to my village, and show this to my father. Perhaps Storn can make sense of what is going on."

"Very well; we can use all the help we can get. But my people and I have other responsibilities as well. Where should we meet you when we are able?"

Frea looked disappointed. "Skaal Village, as soon as you can. This desecration must end!"

Yssha sighed. Frea was right, but too focused on her own problems, while Yssha and her team didn't have the luxury of focusing so closely. She'd already put off the cultists-trying-to-kill-her problem to deal with others, but she was sure Frea wouldn't understand. "Divines willing, we will be there in the morning."

When they exited the Temple and the team found an open area large enough, Yssha called Odahviing. He was much too big to hug, but she smiled at him. "Your idea worked, fahdoni. We found another book, got into a huddle, and entered Apocrypha together."

"And got stuck in a cutscene," Nevan grumped.

Odahviing's attention went to him. "Something from your universe, fahdoni?"

"Yeah. I know you can't know what a videogame is, but when its writers want to give your character information without interference, they use a cutscene. You can't move or interrupt, so you're at their mercy."

Odahviing's attention went back to Yssha. "And what information were you fed?"

"Miraak has at least one dragon at his command in Apocrypha. He has a Shout which clothes him in a dragon's armor and power. He says I have no power there, and his conquest of Solstheim is only a matter of time."

"He had three dragon companions when he vanished," Odahviing told them. "All three are probably still with him. That Shout is one he created called Dragon Aspect, and it is as powerful as it looks. It also increases the power of his Shouts, while it lasts, which is several minutes - enough for most single combats. The good part, for the one he fights, is that it can be used only once per day, so if you can stay out of range long enough, he will return to his normal strength, which is bad enough."

"I found two words of it, in the mine and one in this Temple," Yssha told him. "So I can use it as well, though with less strength."

"I still wish you would not go after him, but I have learned that you are as stubborn as any other dovah when you believe something must be done." Odahviing sighed. "What is the next step?"

"We go home for the night, and meet with Storn in the Skaal Village first thing in the morning. From there, we will see."


	65. Interlude -- Report

Chapter 65 - Interlude: Report

_Yes, I know this is a very short chapter, but it said what needed to be said, and I dislike unnecessary padding. You'll get another longer one tomorrow._

* * *

From: First Spymaster

To: King and High Council, Aldmeri Dominion

Subject: Report and Analysis of the Current Dragonborn/Empire Situation, With Recommendations

The situation since the ghost of Tiber Septim spoke to everyone is increasingly disturbing. To provide some structure, this report is organized by current or former provinces of the Tamrielic Empire.

Alinor (formerly Summerset Isles) and Valenwood: These are still firmly in Thalmor hands, and are regarded as secure.

Anequina and Pelletine (formerly Elseweyr): The Divine Crusader's trip through these client states has caused great unrest. She spread the accurate theory that our claim to have restored the moons to end the Void Nights meant that we were likely the ones who caused them to begin with, and the Khajiiti opinion of Thalmor and the Dominion is rapidly changing from gratitude to suspicion and even anger. There are increasing numbers of incidents reported ranging from minor theft to sabotage, and even some assassinations of Justiciars and soldiers.

Although we have no direct reports of her visit to the Mane, we surmise she was able to convince him of the Empire's strength and good intentions, because he is urging reunification of the client states and the renewal of commercial and diplomatic relations with the Empire.

The Dragonborn has not been personally involved here as yet, but the Divine Crusader is her many-times-great grandmother. This makes Clan Ysshaya a very tempting target for threats or actual retaliation as a possible means of getting both of them to cease operations against us, although that may backfire.

These client states are considered restive and in danger of rebellion. Covert operations against ringleaders as they are discovered is believed to be preferable to military action, which seems likely to trigger that rebellion. That, however, may change as the situation develops.

Black Marsh: Very little is known of the situation here, since we have little to no presence in this area. What we do know suggests the inhabitants have essentially reverted to their pre-Empire existence, and pose no threat to either us or the Empire. Can safely be disregarded.

Cyrodiil: This has been a hostile and difficult area for us since the Emperor, in company with the Dragonborn, otherwise known as Stormcrown, disavowed the White Gold Concordat. Although our Ambassador and his embassy were allowed to return unharmed - and we returned theirs, as well - that has not been true of others. The war is in full force here, and any Thalmor seen are either captured or killed - usually the latter.

While the Dragonborn has little presence here, her influence is considerable, and growing. The Skyguard has extended its patrols throughout the province, and we believe has established at least two garrisons at forts rebuilt after the Great War.

The Skyguard is the most dangerous force in the Empire, thanks to its dragons. It is not known how she managed to tame them, but it is certain that shortly after her defeat of the World-Eater, she began travelling on the neck of a large red one named Odahviing, often in the company of one to three others.

Most - possibly all - of the Skyguard dragon-riders are former Stormcloaks who are sworn personally to the Dragonborn, who is a Legate in the Imperial Legion. They work together with the Legion; the day after the Concordat was repudiated, a combined Skyguard and Legion force attacked both our Embassy and Northwatch Keep. They prevailed quickly, turning our Embassy into the Skyguard Headquarters and Northwatch Keep into one of their strongholds.

Recommendation here is to watch as closely as possible while we position forces to strike up the Niben and through Valenwood. The dense forests make Valenwood most promising, as they provide cover from aerial observation, which naval forces would not have.

Hammerfell: The Second Treaty of Stos M'kai eliminated our influence here, but we still have some covert agents. According to those, the Dragonborn has no presence here, but their leaders are beginning to discuss the desirability of asking for a dragon presence to keep an eye on us and our fleets. Since we have no plans to invade them again any time soon, this can safely be disregarded for the present.

High Rock: As part of the Empire, much of what was said about Cyrodiil applies here. The Dragonborn herself has not been here, but the Skyguard is now patrolling, and is believed to be constructing or renovating a stronghold. Not otherwise notable.

Morrowind: So little of this province is left after the eruption of Red Mountain that it can safely be disregarded, with the possible exception of Solstheim, which may attract the Dragonborn's attention because of its proximity to Skyrim.

Skyrim: This is the most hostile place in Tamriel to Thalmor, though they have no special hostility to other Altmer or Bosmer. We have only a few intelligence operatives here, and they must remain so far under cover that they find out less than we would like.

First Emissary Elenwen was present when the one we later learned was the Dragonborn was almost executed. From there, the Dragonborn's star rose swiftly throughout the province, as is widely known. It is unfortunate she saw fit to take part in the Civil War; had she not, things would have been far more favorable for us.

We have made numerous attempts to kill her, including hiring the Dark Brotherhood until she destroyed it. That got more difficult even before she defeated Alduin, and since taming the dragons, is an order of magnitude more so. We know her primary residence, Lakeview Manor near Lake Ilinalta, but besides her housecarl, it is guarded constantly by at least one Skyguard team. She is almost always in the company of her husband, a skilled battlemage, and has recently added a most impressive warrior from another plane, and a Vampire Lord. So besides her own considerable abilities, she has those of three other extremely competent people, and while outside, that dragon she rides.

It was mentioned earlier that it was tempting to target Clan Ysshaya in an attempt to force both the Dragonborn and the Divine Crusader out of the war. It is up to King and Council rather than this writer to decide if the risk is worth the possible reward, or if she has already done so much damage to our plans that it would be pointless.

Of course, the Eight might smile on us and she will be killed during one of the hazardous missions she continues to carry out, but that seems only a small possibility.

Another possibility is to continue assassination attempts on the Dragonborn herself by either getting her alone, or subverting someone close to her. The problem with the latter is that she is near-universally respected and often loved, so that finding someone willing to betray her could be as difficult as a straightforward assassination.

Respectfully submitted,

First Spymaster


	66. The Fate of the Skaal

Elfendrago - thanks for the review! This volume of Yssha's Tale only has four chapters to go after this one, so it's a little late to add more interludes to it. For Volume II, though, I'll try to give you more of them, as I think of places they'd be appropriate. Thanks again!

* * *

Chapter 66 - The Fate of the Skaal

The team found Frea waiting for them when they landed at Skaal Village. Impatiently, ignoring Odahviing, she led them to the eastern part of the village, where three people were concentrating on a spell. Frea hurried to one of them. "Father! I have returned! There is yet hope! "

The man resembled her, so he had to be Storn. "Frea! What news do you bring? Is there a way to free our people?"

"No, but I have brought someone who has seen things ... She has confirmed that Miraak is indeed behind the suffering of our people."

"I feared that it would be so."

"But how is that possible? After all this time..."

"I fear there is too much we do not yet know."

Frea turned to Yssha. "Please, tell Storn what has happened."

Storn turned to her as well. "So, you have seen things, yes? My magic grows weak, and so does the barrier around our village. Time is short. Tell me what you know."

"Miraak is responsible for what is happening to your people."

"How do you know this?"

"We found and read a strange black book in the Temple of Miraak. He told us he was doing all this so he could return to Solstheim."

"The legends speak of that place. Terrible battles fought at the temple. The dragons burning it to the ground in rage. They speak also of something worse than dragons buried within. Difficult to imagine, but if true ... It means what I feared has come to pass. Miraak was never truly gone, and now has returned. If you could go to this place and see him... Are you like Miraak? Are you Dragonborn?"

"I am Dragonborn, but otherwise nothing like Miraak. You are a shaman, a priest; were you not told when I killed Alduin?"

He shook his head. "The All-Maker is ... not like the Empire's Nine Divines. He does not speak to us."

He hesitated, then went back to his original subject. "Our time here is running out. The few of us left free of control cannot protect ourselves for much longer. You must go to Saering's Watch. Learn there the word that Miraak learned long ago, and use that knowledge on the Wind Stone. You may be able to break the hold on our people there, and free them from control. Please hurry. I cannot maintain the barrier for much longer."

"Do not worry about travel time," she advised him, pointing over his shoulder to where Odahviing was now crouching. "My friend will fly me to Saering's Watch. What is wrong with your people?"

He stared at the red dragon. "Your ... friend?" Then he gulped, and answered her question. "Some dark influence wields power over them, forces them to forget themselves and act against their nature. At first it was only during the night, but now every moment is spent building some strange shrine around the Wind Stone. I believe if the shrine can be destroyed, the Skaal will be free once more."

"It will be done. Such control is evil."

As she and her team prepared to mount, she heard Frea. "Dragonborn she may be, Father, but she is not another Miraak."

"No," Odahviing agreed. "I know both of them, and Dovahkiin is most certainly nothing like Miraak."

He took off once the team was settled, leaving behind a very puzzled Storn and Frea.

At Saering's Watch, Odahviing circled rather than landing, and called to the dragon perched on the Word Wall. "Los hi Dovahkiinro?"

"Nid! Hi tahrod wah dov!" It took off and climbed, until Yssha Shouted "Joor Zah Frul!"

It crashed, and died shortly afterward, as usual. Then Yssha went to the Word Wall and absorbed Gol.

When she returned to Odahviing to remount, she frowned. "Will one word of a Shout be enough to free the Stone?"

He shrugged. "Storn thought so. The best way to be sure is to try." He took them to the Wind Stone, and when they dismounted, said, "Be careful, fahdonne. If Miraak is indeed involved here, you will find trouble."

"We will," Yssha promised, drawing her mace and checking it for magical charge. It was full, so she approached the shrine surrounding the stone and Shouted. "Gol!"

That clearly broke the spell on the Skaal, because the chanting stopped and they wandered away, looking dazed. Then the shrine began collapsing. Nothing else happened until it was gone, then one of the huge black stompers materialized from the water. "Lurker!" she yelled, before moving in.

Thanks to her team's help, it went down faster than the ones she'd faced in the first Black Book. It had good loot, too, she thought as they returned to Odahviing for the short hop to Skaal Village. When they arrived, the magical barrier was down and Storn was waiting to greet them, smiling.

"The air is different. We are safe, which means you have succeeded."

Yssha nodded. "Your people are free, I am happy to say."

"So am I. You have proven yourself an ally to the Skaal, and so the Skaal shall be allies to you."

"You honor me," Yssha said. "What would you recommend next?"

"If you have released the Wind Stone and broken the hold on my people, perhaps you can do the same for the rest of Solstheim. I doubt it will fully stop whatever Miraak is doing, but it may slow his progress. The power of the Stone had been corrupted. It was the source of the influence that had taken control of the Skaal. Your Shout broke whatever evil will controlled the Stone, and restored its true nature as a conduit of the All-Maker's gifts. Freeing the other Stones will diminish whatever dark influence is spreading across Solstheim."

"That we will do, of course. Since Odahviing is kind enough to carry us, that will not take long. But slowing him is insufficient; we must stop him."

"I cannot help with that. None here can. You will need the knowledge Miraak himself learned. You will need to learn more about this Black Book." He studied the cover of the one she'd found in the Temple. "This does not look like something of the Dragon cult. It is a dark thing, unnatural. I would have nothing to do with it. But the Dark Elf Wizard, Neloth ... He came to us some time ago, asking about Black Books. I believe he knows a great deal about them. Perhaps too much. Seek him out to the south. Be cautious, Dragonborn. There is something else at work here."

"Before we go, is there anything else you can tell me about these Books?"

"Our traditions do not speak of them. But they and Miraak are connected. You read a Black Book, and saw him. And the book's power comes from the same dark source as that which corrupted the Wind Stone. But beware. You are now walking the same road as Miraak."

He looked pointedly at Odahviing. "You even ride dragons, as he did."

Odahviing snorted. "Not as he did at all. Miraak used a Shout to compel us to his service. Dovahkiin earned our loyalty and respect. We serve her willingly, along with her human allies."

"This is true?" Storn looked dubious. "Humans and dragons working together?"

"Quite true," Serana said. "Not all dragons, of course, but most of them." She gestured at her surcoat. "This is the Skyguard uniform. People who need help put out a red signal, and usually get it quickly."

"And most on a dragon's regular team add the dragon's name to their own," Nevan added.

"This is ... incredible," Storn said. "You are correct, that sounds nothing like the tales we have of Miraak. Perhaps you will be able to destroy him after all."

Odahviing knew Solstheim as well as he knew the rest of Tamriel, so cleansing the rest of the Stones -except for the one in the middle of Miraak's Temple - took little longer than Yssha anticipated.

He didn't know where Tel Mithryn was, though, so Yssha decided they might as well take care of her guildmate's missing formula, and asked him to take them to Castle Karstaag. "Ruins or Cavern?" the dovah asked in return.

"Glover only said Castle Karstaag," Yssha replied with a frown. "So he may not know. Pick one, or if they are separate locations, land between them and I will use Pathfinder to find out which."

"Between them, then," Odahviing said. "We can finish the trip when you determine where we need to go." They did that, finding their goal was in the Caverns.

When they landed this time it was at a river running out of an ice cavern. Yssha mentally thanked Farengar again for the warmth enchantment on her armor. As they dismounted, Odahviing sighed.

Yssha turned to face him. "Is something wrong, fahdoni?"

"Not wrong, precisely. It is only that so many of your missions are places I cannot go, and I dislike seeing you go into danger where I cannot fight for you."

Yssha found his concern touching. "I would like having you along as well, but I have excellent backup, and what you do for us is crucial as well." She paused. "You do know that without your oath to me, I would be in far worse danger, from dovahhe as well as Thalmor."

He looked a little brighter at that. "That is true," he said. "At least I can help directly with the feldovah and other outdoor encounters."

"Feldovah?" Oh, yes - they had decided to call the unsworn dragons feral rather than masterless. "I forgot briefly that we had changed that."

Odahviing gape-grinned. "I understand. And perhaps I can search out this Tel Mithryn while you are inside. That sounds like a Telvanni place, and I know what those look like."

He took off, climbing steeply, as the team approached the cavern entrance. Yssha led them inside, casting Patfinder, and chuckle-purred.

"What is it?" Nevan asked. "Oh!" He chuckled as well. Pathfinder had pointed to a nearby ice floe, which held a body. "If that's Mallory's thief, this'll be the easiest mission we've ever had!"

"We will see," Yssha said, approaching to search the body. When she stood, she was holding a piece of parchment and smiling. "We have the formula." She gestured to the bridges and Rieklings above them. "Nevan, do you need combat?"

He and Serana both grinned. "No, thuri, but thanks for asking. Serana is very competent at managing my need cycle."

So it was as she'd hoped, and Yssha smiled. "I am glad."

"So are we."

"Then let's get out of here so we can talk freely," Marcurio said.

Yssha nodded and led the way back outside, then turned to her husband. "Is it anything special, beloved?"

"Yes. Does custom allow me to propose new Family members?"

Yssha cocked her head. "Of course. Any of the senior generation may."

"Then I want to popose Odahviing. He's as close to us as we are to each other, despite his form."

"Maybe not quite _that_ close," Serana said, with a quick glance at Nevan, "but I know what you mean, and I agree."

"Nevan?" Yssha asked.

"Definitely, if he's willing."

"Then if he is, I as Family Mother say it will be so. But I do not wish to interrupt his scouting, so shall we start back to Raven Rock on our own?"

They had gotten about halfway there when Odahviing landed in front of them. "I believe I have found Tel Mitryn. Do you wish to go there now, or shall I take you home first?"

Yssha gave him the full formal bow, fists at her shoulders. "We have a question for you before either, fahdoni."

Odahviing tilted his head in curiosity. "Geh, thuri?"

"The senior generation of Family Marcurio in Clan Ysshaya would like to invite you to join us as part of our Family." She hesitated. "If you do not mind becoming part of a joor family. It is not something I ask as your thur."

Odahviing reared up and roared flame into the sky for several seconds, then settled back down. "You honor me too greatly, thuri, but I accept with joy and gratitude."

"Welcome, brod-zeymah," Marcurio said, followed by the others, since Yssha had taught them the dovahzul for what he might choose to become.

Odahviing actually shivered. "I had never thought ... joor and dovah, so?"

Serana chuckled. "They accepted a vampire, so why not a dragon? Family Marcurio is nothing if not unconventional."

"Geh, sosnaak brod-bormahiil." At her puzzled look, he translated. "Yes, my vampire clan-sister." He grinned at Yssha. "Are any two of us the same race, even?"

"Um." She thought briefly. "Yes, Serana and our adopted son Freyr are both Nords. You and I are dovahhe, though of different form, so that may not count. And when I am free to have kits, more of us will be Khajiit."

"May that be soon, then, brod-monahi."

Yssha smiled and corrected him gently. "Grams is brod-monah. I am simply ... in dovahzul simply monah, I believe. Mother of the family, not clan."

"Yes." Odahviing gave his version of a chuckle. "I wonder what my new brod-monah will think of her new brod-kiir."

"She likes you, so I foresee no problems. Would you take us to Raven Rock now, please?"

"Of course. Mount, and we go."

"Any luck tracking down Esmond?" Glover asked, when the team returned to the Raven Rock blacksmith.

"Yes. Unfortunately, he was dead when we found him. However, we found the formula." She handed over the parchment.

Mallory shrugged. "I told him not to head up there. Sounds like the bloody fool got what he deserved. Here, I want you to take this key. Head inside my house and unlock the door in the basement. Help yourself to whatever you like inside. I won't be using it anymore."

Yssha did as he said, going down spiral stairs to the basement and unlocking the door. Inside, she found ... a thief's dream. Expensive mead, lockpicks, poisons, soul gems, a set of armor even better than the Guildmaster's in a locked case, a thief's cache ... and a letter.

My dearest daughter Sapphire,

It's with a heavy heart that I write this letter. For years I've thought about how I could tell you this, and each time I imagined it would be face-to-face. I'm ashamed for what I did, and I hope that someday you'll learn to forgive me. Whatever you do, don't blame Delvin for any of this. He didn't know.

Long after I joined the Guild, I was sent to rob a caravan that was stopping at a tiny farming village not far from the border of Skyrim. When I arrived there, I was a day early and decided to sleep for the night in the barn of a pig farm. I awoke the next morning when the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes upon walked in to do her chores. She wasn't even frightened when she saw me... in an instant I think we had both fallen in love. I ended up living with that woman in that tiny little village for a year until she was with child. And then, like a coward ... I ran away. I was a thief and I didn't want to end up a farmer. It was a terrible thing to do.

I didn't have the courage to return to that village for almost fifteen years. When I finally decided to visit, it was too late. It had been raided by bandits and burned to the ground. Everyone was either dead or gone. Including you ... my only child.

Years later, when you were recruited by Brynjolf I couldn't believe my eyes. You're a spitting image of your mother and I knew it was you in an instant. Only the gods know how you survived the attack on that village and why you followed in my footsteps, but I have to assume it was meant to be. I've wanted to walk right up to you and embrace you, to tell you the truth, but I was still a coward. I decided to leave Riften instead of facing your anger. I said my goodbyes to Delvin and I headed for Solstheim ... as far from the truth as I could get.

I'm sorry, my daughter. I'm sorry for never being there to hold you at night or to protect you from whatever hardships you endured. One day, I hope you'll make the journey to Solstheim and visit your father.

Glover Mallory

Yssha sighed, tucking it into her belt pouch. She'd give this to Sapphire next time she was in Riften, but for now, she had to deal with Miraak.


	67. The Path of Knowledge

Chapter 67 - The Path of Knowledge

Yssha couldn't help staring when the team landed at Tel Mithryn. It looked like ... a giant mushroom! "Is that really what it looks like?" she asked Marcurio.

"According to what I've read about Morrowind, yes," her husband replied. "It's the first one I've seen, though. Naturally, there's considerable magic involved."

"Yes, Neloth claimed to be a master mage when we met at the Earth Stone." Yssha sighed. From that first meeting, she didn't like him, but at least he didn't rub her fur the wrong way, like Delphine. "I think there is a door up there. Shall we go?"

She led the way up a short slope to the door. she knocked, but got no response, so she tried opening it, to find herself standing briefly in the stem, then she floated upward, to land on what looked like a small dock extending from an obvious work and living area.

Neloth looked irritated when he saw them. "Yes, yes, what is it? You're interrupting my researches."

Yssha sighed to herself. "The shaman Storn sent me to you so I may learn how to find a Black Book I need to reach Miraak. I must learn the rest of the Bend Will Shout."

"Black Book? You refer to the tomes of esoteric knowledge old Hermaeus Mora has scattered throughout the world? What could you know of them?"

"I have found two Black Books. I need to find more."

"Found them? Yes, and you read them too, didn't you? Don't try to deny it, you've got the look. I can see it now. Dangerous knowledge is still knowledge and therefore useful. Usually turns out to be the most useful, in my experience."

"I must know what Miraak knows if I want to stop him. That is worth the risks we take."

"Now that is a dangerous path indeed. Hermaeus Mora gives nothing away for free. You may end up like Miraak, of course. Two power-mad Dragonborn. It could be very interesting."

"Do you know where I can find another Black Book?"

Neloth chuckled. "Oh, yes. They're not hard to locate once you know how to look for them. I have one here that I have been using to locate more."

"You have a Black Book?" Yssha asked hopefully.

"Yes. I haven't been idle while this fascinating madness engulfed Solstheim. But my book isn't what you're looking for. I'm quite sure it is unconnected with this Miraak. But I do know where to find a Black Book that can help you."

"The one connected with Miraak?" Yssha asked, trying to remain polite. "Where is it?"

"I do know where it is, but I haven't been able to get it despite my powers. But maybe together we can unlock the secrets the Dwemer left behind."

Yssha hid a sigh, trying to control her impatience. "The Dwemer? What do they have to do with this?"

Neloth looked superior. "Forbidden knowledge was something of a specialty of the dwarves, eh? You don't think they would just leave it alone, do you? It seems the ancient Dwemer discovered this book and took it to study. I have found their 'reading room' in the ruins of Nchardak. The book is there, but it's sealed in a protective case which I wasn't able to open, but perhaps all of us together will be able to get the book. To Nchardak, then. Follow me."

The team had already been through one dungeon today, so before agreeing, she turned to them. "What do you think? Are we up to another dungeon?"

Serana and Nevan nodded without hesitation, but Marcurio looked thoughtful. "I'd normally prefer to start in the morning, the way we usually do, but after seeing what Miraak's already done here, I'd rather not risk waiting. Let's go for it."

That was essentially how Yssha felt, so she turned back to Neloth. "Lead on."

Nchardak was fairly close to Tel Mithryn, so even walking, it didn't take long to get there. When they arrived, Neloth gestured toward the ruins. "The Dwemer certainly knew how to build for the ages. These towers have outlasted their creators by millennia. The book is housed inside that dome. I'll need to unlock the door for us. Lets get on with it."

They had to fight reavers on the way to the entrance, Neloth complaining but certainly doing his part, and Yssha decided he was every bit the master mage he claimed to be. With four Destruction mages, and herself not knowing if Companion's Insight would protect Neloth, Yssha didn't dare Shout, and was left with almost nothing to do.

Once they reached the entrance, Neloth grumbled, "Maybe now we can finally begin what we came here for." He approached the odd pedestal beside the door, carrying an equally-odd cube. "The Dwemer of Nchardak appear to have been fond of these control pedestals. Luckily I found a cube to operate it inside on my last visit. I sealed the door when I left to keep out ignorant meddlers. Let me unlock it."

Once inside, Yssha and her team followed Neloth toward a large gold ring around a glass circle in the center of the room's floor. He pointed down. "You can see the book right there. So tantalizingly close...But trust me, no magic will open that. I'd have had the book already if I could. No, we'll have to do this the hard way. If we can restore the steam supply to this room, I'm certain I can open it. As you'll see, that's easier said than done. This way to the boilers."

Again they followed him to a Dwemer lift, and down to a large chamber. Inside that, Neloth commented, "The last time I was here, I only explored a small part of the ruins. I was here alone then, and I find an assistant is absolutely essential for this kind of dirty, dangerous work."

On the way down some stairs, Marcurio murmured, "This place is huge. I'm going to need to get a branch of the Porter Service set up in Raven Rock as soon as we get back there."

When they entered what was apparently the main chamber, Neloth said, "Nchardak, The 'City of a Hundred Towers'. In its day it was the largest of the great Dwemer Archives and perhaps the most advanced. In the old stories, when the Nords came to conquer it, it's said the Dwemer submerged the entire city beneath the sea until the invaders gave up. I have my doubts. But the city was a marvel of Dwemer engineering. Now... reduced to this."

At that, Yssha touched Marcurio's arm. "For other sites, beloved. I think Calcelmo should have the first opportunity here, if it is that important. I am certain he would be interested, and he did allow me to copy his research notes when he had no obligation to do so."

"All right, love. We certainly don't need the money anywhere near as much as we used to."

The team followed Neloth to a control pedestal overlooking a large flooded area, where he activated the pumps with his cube. As the water began to drain, he said, "The pumps only operate when a cube is in the pedestal. And unfortunately, I have only one cube. These four boilers provide steam to the room upstairs. They're shut down, but they still respond to the control cubes. So, if we can find four more cubes, we can turn these boilers back on and restore steam power to the room upstairs. Then I should be able to open the book's protective case. Bring that cube. We'll need it."

Yssha obeyed, then followed him to a display panel. He studied it for some time, then said, "Yes... here we are. This device shows the location of four more cubes in this section of the city. It looks like most of the cubes were moved to the lower levels, perhaps to try to control the flooding before the city was abandoned. Interesting. That would suggest that the city must have originally sunk during the first cataclysm of Red Mountain. Or that the Dwemer's servitors continued to try to preserve the city after their creators' disappearance."

Yssha groaned. Lower flooded levels meant a lot of the kind of water work she hated.

Serana grinned. "Your water problem, hmm?"

Yssha nodded. "And it sounds like a great deal of it."

"Let me do it, then. I offered back at Glenmoril, remember?"

"Yes, but then you were in your Royal Vampire armor. Now you are in dragonscale, with padding, which is as uncomfortable when wet as my fur is."

"Then I shift. Unlike the Companions, my gear comes back when I do. But you'll have to warn our Telvanni guide; we don't need him fleeing in panic."

"That is true." Yssha approached Neloth. "Excuse me?"

"What is it?"

"I have problems when I get soaked, so Serana has asked to take over any water work. However, she will be changing to her other form to do so, and she wishes me to warn you."

Neloth looked suspicious. "Warn me of what?"

"She is a vampire. More specifically, a Vampire Lord. Her appearance in that form is ... somewhat alarming."

Neloth looked intrigued, not frightened. "She works with humans who know and don't fear her? Interesting. Get her to change for me, would you?"

"I heard," Serana said, obliging him. "What do you think?"

"Fascinating!" Neloth replied. "I should like to study you - I am unfamiliar with vampires who have wings and float above the ground. But what if you must go underwater?"

"Not a problem. I just change attack modes." She descended to the floor. "See?"

"That should work," the Telvanni wizard said, then proceeded to ignore Serana, turning back to Yssha as they approached another door.

"Three of the cubes are through here. This seems like a sensible place to start. You should be able to unseal this door with the control cube I gave you." Once Yssha did so, the large seal that covered the door retracted and Neloth entered the workshop.

Yssha retrieved the cube, and they continued through Nchardak. There were a few fights with Dwemer automatons, and Yssha wasn't able to avoid all the water they encountered, but she was grateful that Serana enabled her to avoid most of it. Otherwise, it was a matter of Serana arranging and re-arranging control cubes until they had the required five.

"Excellent," Neloth said. "Now we can finally see about getting those boilers started."

They returned to the main chamber, and placed the five cubes where they belonged, activating the boilers. When the last was in place, Neloth said, "That seems to have done it. Good. It took longer than I'd hoped, but at least it's finally done. "

Then he must have noticed motion, because he yelled, "Look out! Another Steam Centurion!"

Sure enough, a Dwarven Centurion was lumbering away from its station at the far side of the great chamber's bridge. This time Yssha was able to get in a few blows with her mace, which made her feel less useless around so many mages. When it was down, Neloth said, "I'm going to head back upstairs and see if the reading room has steam. If so, it should be a simple matter to release the book."

When the team reached the reading room, Serana back in human form, Neloth was waiting by the room's control pedestal. "Now that the boilers are working, it should be simple to release the book from its protective case."

Yssha pressed the button on the pedestal, which caused beams of light to shine up from the floor and focus on a large crystal above. There was a brief rumble like an earthquake, and the Black Book rose from its glass cover. Neloth looked at Yssha. "At last. I hope it was worth it. Please ... be my guest. You deserve the first look. Besides, it could be very dangerous. These books are known to drive many people insane."

Well, Yssha thought, she'd already read - or at least been into - two of them, and nobody she'd met had mentioned anything odd about her, so when her team gathered around her, she opened _Epistolary Acumen_. When she did, she heard Neloth say, "Oh good. Be sure to say hello to Hermaeus Mora for me if you see him."

Apocrypha was as Yssha remembered from the first book- smelling of the acidic water, with latticed metal bridges and odd plant-like things she'd learned acted like keys. When she activated the one on the platform where they'd appeared, it lowered a bridge to a moving corridor. She went to the end of the bridge, and when the corridor rotated into position, she darted in, followed by her team.

Her main problem with Apocrypha was that there was no way of knowing either their destination, or how to get there. Naturally, there were no maps, and Pathfinder was essentially useless, so it was a guessing game crossed with methodical exploration. Frustration and tedium broken by occasional combat with the inhabitants, in other words, and she hated it. Admittedly, it wasn't as bad as what Grams had found through the Oblivion Gates - but that didn't make her like it any better.

Well, in a way, she did know what they were looking for - a very large book was their goal, with smaller books taking them through "chapters" like rooms or floors in conventional dungeons. So they guessed and explored and fought their way through four of those before coming to the big book.

When Yssha opened it, to her dismay Hermaeus Mora appeared and addressed them. "You thought to reject me, and yet here you are. Your journey towards enlightenment has finally led you here, to my realm, as I knew it would."

"What do you want of me this time?" Yssha demanded.

"You have entered my realm. You have sought out the forbidden knowledge that only one other has obtained. You are Dragonborn, like Miraak before you. A seeker of knowledge and power."

"I will not serve you. I simply need to defeat Miraak."

"You will serve me, willing or not. All who seek after the secrets of the world are my servants."

Yssha remained silent. For her, serving a Daedric Prince was out of the question.

Finally, after a prolonged silence. and sounding more amused than angry, Hermaeus Mora spoke again. "I know what you want: to use your power as Dragonborn to bend the world to your will. Here then is the knowledge you need, although you did not know you needed it. The second Word of Power. Use it to bend the wills of mortals to your purpose. But this is not enough. Miraak knows the final Word of Power. Without that, you cannot hope to surpass him. Miraak served me well, and he was rewarded. I can grant you the same power as he wields, but all knowledge has its price."

Actually, Yssha thought, she had no desire to bend the entire world to her will. She wanted to keep it free, so everyone could follow his or her own destiny. But she thought it best not to contradict Mora, at least not right now. "So what is your price for the final Word of Power?" Yssha asked cautiously.

"Knowledge for knowledge. The Skaal have withheld their secrets from me for many long years. The time has come for this knowledge to be added to my library."

"Why do I need this Word of Power to defeat Miraak?"

"Even dragons submit to Miraak's Voice. Without that power, you cannot face him. So say I, Hermaeus Mora, master of the Tides of fate."

"I have the loyalty and obedience of many dragons, freely given."

"Not Miraak's, and yours cannot come here. I permit no immortals in my realm, without special permission your dragons will not have. You need the third word of Bend Will to force one of his to carry you to the top of his Tower. If you get that far, of course."

"Is Miraak not your ally? Why help me defeat him?"

"He has served me long and well. But he grows restless under my guidance. His desire to return to your world will spread my influence more widely. But it will also set him free from my direct control. It may be time to replace him with a more loyal servant. One who still appreciates the gifts I have to offer."

Not that she did, or even could. But this was no time to remind him she was under Aedric protection from the Daedra. "How do I know I can trust you, a Daedric Prince?"

"My word is as true as fate, as inevitable as destiny. Bring me what I want, and I will give you what you seek. Send the Skaal shaman to me. He holds the secrets that will be mine."

He gave her the second word of Bend Will, then vanished. She turned back to the large book, which had three gleaming circles feeling of magic. She remembered that was how she'd gotten the marvelous Companion's Insight ability, so she investigated, holding her hand over each circle.

The most generally useful seemed to be Dragonborn Force, which would intensify Unrelenting Force, as the other two would intensify Fire or Frost Breath, so that was the one she chose.

She turned to the others. "Gather around me. This book will return us to Solstheim now."

It did, and they appeared in the Nchardak Reading Room, where Neloth immediately approached. "What happened? What did you see? Different people have very different experiences when reading these books."

"I learned the second Word of the Bend Will shout."

"No wonder the Dwemer were so interested in that book. It was indeed one that Miraak used to advance his power as Dragonborn. But I assume there's some bad news? It would be unlike Hermaeus Mora to allow anyone to gain such knowledge without exacting a price."

"He wishes the secrets of the Skaal, and promises me the third word as well if I can convince Storn to give it to him."

"Hmph. What secrets could they have worth keeping from old Mora? Sounds like a bargain to me. Hermaeus Mora learns some fascinating new ways to skin a horker and you become the second most powerful Dragonborn that ever lived. Well, that gives me a lot to think about. I need to get back to Tel Mithryn. I have some ideas about how to locate more of these Black Books..."

Something told Yssha it wouldn't be that simple, but she nodded. "And we need to rest, after Nchardak and Apocrypha both. I will speak to Storn tomorrow. Shall we go?"

It wasn't quite over, though. As soon as they left the Reading Room, they saw a hovering dragon. He called, "Miraak has commanded your death. So it shall be," and attacked.

Between Dragonrend and four sorcerers, it was soon dead, and Yssha felt its soul push into her as its body dissolved in flame.

Then she called Odahviing, and they all returned to their homes.


	68. At the Summit of Apocrypha

Chapter 68 - At the Summit of Apocrypha

Yssha located Storn sitting outside his house, talking to Frea. When he saw her, he smiled. "Is there something I can do for you, Skaal-friend?"

Yssha nodded. "Hermaeus Mora gave me the second word of the Bend Will Shout I will need to reach Miraak. But to get the final word, he wishes me to send you to him, so he may learn the secrets of the Skaal. I do not trust him, however, and I will not send you to him unwilling."

Storn looked thoughtful. "Hermaeus Mora ... old Herma-Mora himself. So he is the source of Miraak's power. Of course. We have many tales of Herma-Mora trying to trick us into giving up our secrets to him. And now he comes again for what we have long kept from him."

"And what are the 'secrets of the Skaal'?" Yssha asked, curious.

"Ancient lore, handed down from shaman to shaman since the All-Maker first gave us Solstheim. How to talk to the wind, how to listen to the earth - these are our secrets. Nothing of power of mastery."

"Then why would Hermaeus Mora want your secrets? The Daedra are all about power and mastery."

"We know him as Herma-Mora, the Demon of Knowledge. It is in his nature to hoard secrets to himself. Their value to him is of no consequence. The very fact that the Skaal have kept knowledge from him has merely increased his desire to have it."

"Herma-Mora? Odahviing names him so, as well. Why do you call him that?"

"That is our name for him - the Demon of knowledge. He has always been our enemy."

"Then I am even more reluctant to send you to him. Yet he said it is the only way he will teach me the final Word of Miraak's Shout."

Storn sighed, rising to his feet. "So it falls to me to be the one to give up the secrets to our ancient enemy. I do not know if I have the strength to face him. The Tree Stone is still corrupted... the land is still out of balance. But with the other five restored... it may be enough. It will have to do."

"You will give him what he wants, then?"

"Yes." Storn's look now was one of resignation. "The Skaal also tell of the day when we must finally give up our secrets. When Herma-Mora finally wins. As shaman, it is my duty to guard these secrets, but also to decide when it is necessary to give them up. I believe that time is now. If I am wrong, may my ancestors forgive me. Give me the book. I will read it, and speak to old Herma-Mora myself. I will make sure he lives up to his part of the bargain."

"I hope you know what you are doing." Yssha had a feeling of foreboding, but handed him the Black Book.

"That is my hope as well. I am trusting you will make this sacrifice worthwhile."

He walked to the center of the village, Yssha following, as Frea called, "Father, you must not do this. That book is ... wrong. Evil. Against everything that you have taught me my whole life."

"I must, Frea. It is the only way to free Solstheim forever from Miraak's shadow. There comes a time when everything must change. Nothing that lives remains the same forever. Do not fear for me, my daughter. This is the destiny that the All-Maker has laid out for me."

Frea's voice was sorrowful. "I stand beside you, father, as always."

"I am ready for whatever the foul master of this book has in store for me." Storn clearly braced himself, then opened the Book.

Tentacles lashed out from it, seizing him. One drove into the top of his skull, and Hermaeus Mora spoke, gloating. "At last, the Skaal yield up their secrets to me!"

To Yssha's horrified surprise, the tentacle in Storn's brain didn't kill him immediately; he had time to struggle and protest. "You ... liar ... gah! ... I won't ... not ... for you ..."

If she hadn't known it would be totally useless, Yssha would have drawn her mace and attacked the Daedric Prince. As it was, it took every ounce of her self-control not to either vomit, or use every swear-word she'd learned in the Legion.

Hermaeus Mora's attention turned to her. "Dragonborn, you have delivered me the gift I requested. In return, I keep my promise, as befits a Prince of Oblivion: I give you the Word of Power that you need to challenge Miraak. You will be either a worthy opponent or his successor, as the tides of fate decree."

Then he let go of Storn, who gave a final anguished cry, "Nooo!" and collapsed, dead.

Yssha was furious. Not at Storn's death, as such - all would die, soon or late, and he had mentioned a sacrifice - but at his suffering, which she doubted had been necessary, and especially at Mora's gloating.

Frea ran up, kneeling beside the body, and called out, "Father! What have you done!" Then she looked directly at Yssha. "Go. My father sacrificed himself so that you could destroy Miraak and lift his master's shadow from the land. Go, then. Kill Miraak. Do not fail."

Yssha bowed silently and respectfully, gesturing to her team to follow, and left as the villagers gathered to mourn their shaman.

* * *

Once they were out of sight of the village, Yssha opened her pack and dug out the Black Book she'd been reading when Miraak confronted them. The team gathered around her, and she opened it.

They were back at the place where Miraak had met them, then had them thrown out of Apocrypha. Exploring, they found little of interest, except for a few pods - Apocrypha's version of treasure chests - and a few tables with minor loot.

They finally blundered and fought their way into Chapter II, where Yssha found _Song of the Alchemists _and vaguely remembered promising to take it to someone if she found a copy, so she grabbed it. Gods, she would have to get Marcurio to help her remember who she'd promised what, and get it organized! She picked up another book they came across, _Boneless Limbs_, which opened a staircase to the book to Chapter III.

She shook her head. A book as a key? Well, in the Demon of Knowledge's realm, it probably made sense. She'd have liked to talk to her team, but the middle of Apocrypha was no place to hold a conversation, so they moved on.

Here they found a smithing skill book, then another of the "key" books, _Delving Pincers_. That didn't lead them to another "chapter", just another room in this one, where they found a couple of pods and _Prying Orbs_. That one did open the way to Chapter IV, and she wondered just how long this particular "volume" was going to be.

More blundering around, interrupted by Seekers and Lurkers. Oh, for Nirn again, and simple enemies like giants and feldovahhe! Something easy like a bandit or Forsworn would be nice, too. Just leaving Oblivion would be a real relief, but that couldn't happen until she and her team defeated Miraak. Yssha paused, correcting herself. They could leave any time, just by re-reading a Black Book, but there was no point; they'd have to come back and finish the job, so just get it over with while they were here.

Once they found _Gnashing Blades_, and made it to Chapter V, things changed a bit. Now they encountered book pedestals, and she had to match books to the symbols on the pedestals. She found that almost laughably simple. Once all four were in place, she saw another book on a pedestal in the center of the room.

Reading that took them to Chapter VI, where a short corridor led them to a large open area with a Word Wall on the far side, guarded by a pair of Seekers. There was a pool of the acidic water in the center, but plenty of room to walk around the edges. "Finally!" she exclaimed, before going into stealth mode in the probably fruitless hope of reaching the Word Wall without being detected.

Her team knew that the Word Wall, rather than fighting the Seekers, would be her priority, so they went on the attack, greatly improving her chances. Magic crackled around her as she approached the Word Wall, and found it very different from any of the others she'd seen. This one was like a sideways scroll, but the effect was the same; as soon as she was close enough, she got Diiv, Wyrm, the last word of the Dragon Aspect Shout.

As soon as she did, a dragon attacked her, and she whirled, using Bend Will at full power.

The dragon subsided immediately, and she approached it. "I am Dovahkiin. May I know your name?"

It looked surprised. "I am Sahrotaar." He used Fire Breath on her, without damage, and she returned the greeting. "Dov indeed, and courteous."

Yssha bowed. "I regret having to use Bend Will on you, froni. But I and mine must ride you to find Miraak, and you are not of my vahriinne."

Sahrotaar's head rose, and he looked down at her. "You have dovahhe vahriinne? Unforced?"

"I do. Most of those I am aware of on Taazokaan."

He studied her for long moments. "You conquered Alduin?"

"With help, yes."

Sahrotaar shook himself. "Then you must be Faal Gein - the one who can free us from Miraak."

"I do not understand," Yssha said, as her team, done with the Seekers, gathered around the two.

"At first, the three of us served Miraak willingly," Sahrotaar said. "But since we joined him here, we have been bound, unwilling, Kruziikrel, Relonikiv, and I. He has anticipated you, Dovahkiin. As you weaken him, he will command our souls to enter him, killing us to regenerate himself."

"Then once you have taken us to him, you must flee, and if possible take the others with you."

"It would do no good, I fear. Our names are part of the Shout he uses for that purpose, and we are compelled to respond."

Yssha sighed. "For your sake as much as ours, I regret that. Many of my vahrinne are my fahdonne as well."

"Such as? Perhaps I know some of them."

"Paarthurnax my mentor, Odahviing who flies us where we need to go, Dovgrahaak the commander of the winged part of the Skyguard, a number of others."

"All of those I know," Sahrotaar said. "I think I would be happier with someone who can win their allegiance than with someone like Miraak. Win your battle, Dovahkiin, and we will be part of you."

"I do not understand," Yssha said. "You said he will kill you, not I."

"Have you never absorbed more than one soul at a time?" Sahrotaar cocked his head curiously.

"Not that I am aware of," Yssha replied. "Why?"

"Then you have killed only those who had not killed other dov, or have had the other souls long enough for true merging. Miraak has killed dozens, if not hundreds, of us. Whoever wins your battle will absorb all those souls as well. Since you have not absorbed multiples before, it may be ... difficult for you."

He turned his attention to the team. "But that is for after the battle, and Miraak may well win. All of you mount up, and I will take you to his Tower. Perhaps your numbers will balance his ability to regenerate."

After a short flight over water, he landed on a tall plateau, and they dismounted, Miraak spoke to their steed. "Sahrotaar, are you so easily swayed? No. Not yet. We should greet our guests first."

He turned his attention to Yssha. "And so the First Dragonborn meets the Last Dragonborn at the summit of Apocrypha. No doubt just as Hermaeus Mora intended. He is a fickle master, you know. But now I will be free of him. My time in Apocrypha is over. You are here in your full power, and thus subject to _my_ full power. You will die. And with the power of your soul, I will return to Solstheim and be master of my own fate once again."

Then he snapped, "Kruziikrel! Relonikiv! Now!" and the battle began. For now, Sahrotaar must have still been under Yssha's control, because he took off and began distracting the other dragons while the team went after Miraak, battering him with magical attacks and Nevan's arrows. He retaliated after using the Dragon Aspect Shout, while Yssha was using Unrelenting Force.

With four against one, he was tiring when Dragon Aspect faded. His next Shout was one she had never heard. "Kruziikrel, ziil los dii du!" A dragon crashed to ground, dissolving, its soul moving into the First Dragonborn, restoring him completely.

Yssha took time to swallow a couple of healing potions, then went back into action, this time using Marked for Death, and trying to close in with Dragonbane. It was strange using it against a humanoid, but he was dovah as well ... She got in a couple of blows before she had to start healing herself. Divines, but he was strong, physically as well as magically, and with his regeneration ... yes, Odahviing was right. If she'd tried facing him alone, she would probably be dead by now, and he would be invading Solstheim.

Several minutes later they had him exhausted and wounded again, and again he used the strange Shout. "Relonikiv, ziil los dii du!" to the same effect as before.

For the third time, they weakened him enough to force him to kill a dragon. "Sahrotaar, ziil los dii du!"

At least this was the last regeneration, Yssha thought, though she was sorry to see Sahrotaar die. The team was weakened and injured by this point, without their own ability to regenerate, so the final stage of the battle took longer than the first three.

This time when he ran out of steam, Miraak used Become Ethereal and Whirlwind Sprint to attempt escaping. The team waited for those to fade, but before Yssha could reach him with Dragonbane, Hermaeus Mora appeared over the central pool and drew Miraak to him. "Did you think you could escape me, Miraak? You can hide nothing from me here." Then a tentacle stabbed through Miraak's armor and body. "No matter. I have found a new Dragonborn to serve me."

Miraak struggled, then gasped out, "May she be rewarded for her service as I am!" He dissolved into a skeleton, his equipment falling to the ground as a swarm of what looked like torchbugs emerged from his body and approached her. They froze in the air briefly as Hermaeus Mora told her, "Miraak harbored fantasies of rebellion against me. Learn from his example. Serve me faithfully, and you will continue to be richly rewarded."

Then the "torchbugs" resumed movement, gathering around Yssha in a swarm, and began pushing into her. Yssha screamed with the pain of absorbing so many at once, collapsing helpless to the ground. She screamed again, this time in horror, as for the first time, she felt the dragon souls she had absorbed do more than grant her the power to understand and use Rotmulagge. Those who had been barely noticeable except when pushing into her now made themselves known, and so did the new ones. Now she knew their names and histories, and that the older ones had returned to their original selves once being absorbed, as her vahriinne had after swearing fealty to her. But the new ones were still Miraak's, and she was overwhelmed by their confusion, fury, and hatred.

Marcurio knelt beside her, casting the strongest healing spells he was capable of, but while her wounds closed, the spells didn't seem to do anything for her other problem. He didn't know exactly what it was, but if this was the difficulty Sahrotaar had mentioned might come from absorbing multiple souls at once, he knew he was unqualified to treat it. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms.

"How in the Seven Hells do we get out of this place?" Nevan demanded.

As soon as he finished speaking, the four of them found themselves standing beside Odahviing, surrounded by dragon scales, bones, and Miraak's equipment. The dovah took immediate charge. "Let me see her eyes."

Serana held them open while Odahviing studied them briefly. Then he called Ahkrinbo. "Soul shock," he told the team. "She absorbed too many souls too quickly. We must take her to High Hrothgar and the Greybeards for treatment."

While they were mounting, Ahkrinbo and his team arrived. "Collect their things and take them to Lakeview," Odahviing ordered. "Dovahkiin defeated Miraak, but suffered soul shock in the doing. We take her to High Hrothgar." As soon as Yssha's team was settled, he took off and flew as gently as he could to High Hrothgar's courtyard. "Arngeir!" he called.

The Greybeards emerged at a run, stopping as they saw Yssha limp in Marcurio's arms. "What happened!"

"Soul-shock," Odahviing replied.

Arngeir spoke as quietly as he could and still let Marcurio hear him. "Give her to me, then leave, as quietly as possible. Odahviing, inform Paarthurnax; he has experience with this." Then he looked at Marcurio. "She needs silence and time. I will let you know when she is well enough for visitors."

Marcurio handed her down, reluctant to say anything if noise might harm her further. He watched the monk carry her inside, then grabbed hold as Odahviing walked to the edge of the cliff and dropped off, gliding down until they were out of earshot before he began flapping his wings to gain altitude.

They were at the Throat of the World almost immediately, and Paarthurnax greeted them. "Drem yol lok, fahdonne. Where is Dovahkiin?"

"In the monastery, with soul-shock," Odahviing replied.

Paarthurnax's voice was openly concerned. "That is not good. How bad is it? How many souls did she absorb?"

"I was not there," Odahviing replied. "You will have to get the story from her team."

"Geh, then." Paarthurnax looked at the three. "I will need every detail, so this may be a very long tinvaak, and joorre need food and rest. Since she made it here, she is in no immediate danger of death, so go home, rest, eat, and return in the morning. Also decide who needs to know, but keep the number small, since there are those who do wish her death."

Marcurio nodded. "The damn Thalmor, yes. And a few others."

* * *

When they landed at Lakewood Manor, everyone living there was waiting, with Ahkrinbo and his team on full alert guarding the place. Freyr ran up to Marcurio. "Papa, where's Mama?"

How to tell the child? Marcurio went to one knee, so they were closer to the same height. "Mama is very sick, son. We had to take her to some special healers, and she can't have visitors yet."

The boy's lip quivered. "What happened to her?"

"She was ... hurt in her soul. We don't know how bad it is yet, but pray to the Nine for her, especially Akatosh and Talos. That's the best way you can help her."

"Okay, Papa!" The boy ran back into the house, obviously intending to start right away.

"A child's prayers are among the most powerful," Rayya said softly. "Mine may be less so, but I think I will join him. I put what Ahkrinbo's team brought in the smithy."

"Fine. When you're done, Nev, Serana and I have been ordered to eat and rest."

"I'll have supper ready shortly, or you can see if the stew's ready to eat. A couple of pies and a snowberry crostata are cooling." She followed Freyr toward the chapel.

"In the meantime, who needs to know?" Serana asked.

"Grams," Marcurio replied promptly. "She has to be first. The rest can wait till after we talk to Paarthurnax tomorrow."

"I will tell her," Odahviing took off, winging toward Cyrodiil.

An hour later, as dusk was falling, he returned with Grams on his neck. "Thanks for the ride," she said. "I'm here for the duration, so I won't need a ride back any time soon." She slid down to the ground and hurried into the house.


	69. Soul-Shock

Chapter 69 - Soul-Shock

Arngeir carried Yssha into High Hrothgar and remained with her, carefully removing her armor, cleaning up around her Healed wounds, and dressing her in a nightshirt while the others prepared the soundproof room for her. She wasn't the first soul-shocked Dragonborn the Greybeards had treated, just the first in a very long time, so the facilities were in place. Silence and rest were crucial to allow her to integrate or wall off the new horde of souls within her. Otherwise, there was little they could do other than maintain a constant watch in case she began convulsing, And hope she didn't have too bad a time of it.

Yssha hovered in the center of a swarm of souls, trying to protect herself from the onslaught of names, and lives, and experiences. It was too much! If she'd had a body here, she would have screamed, or wept, or fought, or all three.

After what seemed an eternity of chaos, a single soul approached her, shoving the others aside. It formed into a familiar shape, which was a great help in itself. "Sahrotaar?"

"Geh. And you are thuri by right of conquest. I and the other two are grateful to you for destroying the one who controlled us. How may I help?"

"Too many ... too many! Keep them away!"

* * *

Borri was watching over her when the first convulsions struck. He held her down until Arngeir entered her room, then whispered, "We need restraints. She is too strong, and there are too many within her."

* * *

Paarthurnax greeted the three team members when they joined him. "Drem yol lok, fahdonne. Now, tell me your story, in as great detail as you can remember."

That took most of the day, far longer than the fight itself, as the three took turns telling the initial story, then Paarthurnax questioned them exhaustively. Finally, a couple of hours before twilight, he sighed.

"How bad is it?" Marcurio demanded.

"I would like to reassure you," Paarthurnax replied. "But I cannot. This is the worst case I have seen. Miraak himself, and all those he devoured, along with those she took into herself on her own. She must find a gatekeeper, or Bormah himself must intervene, else she may never return as herself."

* * *

Yssha was aware of nothing but the turmoil inside her. She felt nothing when the Greybeards changed her bedding or clothing, nothing when they gave her food or water, nothing when they cleaned her. All of her attention was within, her only hold on sanity Sahrotaar, who soothed her and kept the others at a comfortable distance until he felt her strong enough to receive another.

"Mirmulnir wishes audience, thuri," he said. "May I admit him?"

"I ... I ... he was my first." Yssha shuddered. But she had to face her accusers eventually. All of them. She wept, but nodded.

She was in nothingness until Mirmulnir appeared, then it was a throne room, and she was seated in a throne made of dragon bones. Her heart ached at that. Dragons deserved more respect than to have their bones made into a throne for a Khajiit!

"I see no Khajiit here," Mirmulnar said, sounding almost stern. "I am proud to have my bones used for our Queen's throne. Sit it easily, thuri. Those of us who have been part of you for some time will help you with the newcomers."

Yssha wept, but settled as she had been bidden. Mirmulnir had been first, but he was the beginning of a very long line.

Sahloknir was next. He'd been within her long enough to be friendly, and so had the next several. But then the ones Sahrotaar began to admit became hostile, and in High Hrothgar, Yssha fought her restraints or wept, and repeated both for far too long.

She had become accustomed to near-unrelenting strain and exhaustion by the time both eased, and she was able to open her eyes to reality. Gentle arms aided her to sit up, and propped pillows behind her back.

"Who ... where ... " she whispered.

"High Hrothgar," a voice replied, just as softly. "Arngeir. Are you truly awake, Dragonborn?"

"I ... I think so." She had to pause to catch her breath. "I hurt, all over. What ... what happened?"

"Be easy, Dragonborn," Arngeir said soothingly. "What do you remember?"

She hesitated, thinking back. "I ... I think Apocrypha." It was hard to get out many words at once, and she had to rest after every short sentence. "Seekers, and a Word Wall." She paused, frowning. "Dragon Aspect? And then Sahrotaar, perhaps. He ... warned me. Danger even if I won."

Gentle fingers stroked the fur on her forehead. "Yes. You defeated Miraak, but he held too many dragon souls for you to absorb easily. You are past the first crisis, but you may still have problems. He had many souls, and not all have accepted their new status yet. That will take more time. But Paarthurnax says to assure you they will, and will stop bothering you when they do."

Arngeir paused, and smiled. "He also says to tell you they will, in time, become so close to you that even you will not be able to tell you have more than your original soul. That, he says, is likely the real reason you could absorb multiple souls without knowing it. What triggered your crisis and 'woke' the rest was when you absorbed Miraak's soul and those of three just-killed dragons."

It was good to know the reason. This must have happened before, for the Greybeards to know how to treat it. "How long?"

"You have been here for three months, in the silence you needed." Arngeir smiled again. "Now that you have awakened, you may have a few - _very_ few - visitors. Your husband and greats-grandmother have been besieging our doors, figuratively, through Odahviing."

What she'd wanted to know was how long it would be before she was again alone in her mind, but she didn't have the energy for that many words at once, just yet. "I ... I would like to see them." It certainly hadn't been silent inside her mind, Yssha thought. It still wasn't, but at least it wasn't as chaotic as it had been at first.

"Very well, but only briefly."

He moved away, and not long afterward, Grams and Marcurio entered her sickroom.

"How are you, youngster? Grams asked, softly.

"I feel ... a bit fragile," Yssha replied. "Too many evil memories, too fast. Too hard to handle ... all at once. Nine bless Sahrotaar. He protected me. After I couldn't protect him."

Marcurio settled on the bed beside her, cuddling her head on his shoulder. "May the Nine bless him indeed, then, beloved. Do you need Healing?

No ... the Greybeards have ... seen to that. I am just sore ... struggling against the restraints ... they had to use. And I am cold."

She chuckled softly at his expression when she mentioned the restraints. She hadn't felt them, but Sahrotaar had told her of them, and why. "It is fine, beloved. They ... only kept me from ... hurting myself." She sighed. "I am tired ... but will you stay?"

"Of course." Marcurio looked at Arngeir as his wife fell asleep. "How much longer?"

"She is coming to terms with her inner dragons, more readily than I would have expected," Arngeir replied. "Perhaps another month, with adequate support. On her own, perhaps another three."

"I'll be here," Grams and Marcurio said at the same time.

"But I'll be leaving briefly," Grams said. "Being cold all the time won't help her recover, so I'll go home and put Farengar's warmth spell on some of her nightshirts." She turned to Arngeir. "Unless you have an enchanting station here."

"No," Arngeir said. "I am afraid not."

"Okay. Do you need any supplies?"

"Something not preserved and not meat would be a pleasant change," Arngeir said. "Paarthurnax keeps us supplied with game, but otherwise we have little variety."

"I'll see what Rayya can spare, then. Give me about an hour; I'll have to report to Nevan and Serana."

* * *

The entire household was waiting when they landed, and Freyr ran up to her. "How's Mama?"

"She was asleep on Marcurio's shoulder when I left. She's very tired and weak, but she's getting better. She'll probably be away another month, though."

"Awww ... " The boy's face fell, and he wandered off toward the lake.

When he was out of earshot, Grams sghed, and addressed the rest. "She looks like a rescued Thalmor prisoner, except no physical injuries. She's skin and bones - I'm betting the only thing they could get down her was liquids like broth. It's going to take her a long time to get back in fighting condition, short of a miracle."

She turned to Rayya. "Could you get her nightshirts to the enchantry? Then I'd like a bag of whatever supplies you can spare, including things suitable for an invalid. And for people who've been living on mostly preserved food, with some fresh meat."

Rayya nodded, heading inside.

"Enchanted nightshirts?" Serana asked with a grin.

"Warmth enchantment," Grams explained. "She sure can't wear her armor in a sickbed, and she's cold."

Nevan nodded in understanding, since it was a running joke that Yssha was as cold-intolerant as a Sandeman, in spite of her having fur and him not. "Too bad we didn't think about that earlier."

"Yes, it is, and we should have. But we were so worried about her mental state, I don't think anyone even thought about something as minor as cold. I know I didn't. But let me get those nightshirts enchanted while Rayya's getting the supplies I asked for."

The whole group went inside, Nevan and Serana accompanying Grams to the enchanting station, where she found a pile of Yssha's nightshirts. "Hmm. Warmth and Regenerate Health, you think?"

Nevan frowned, then shook his head. "Regenerate Health is too much like rapid-heal - speeds healing, but it eats energy, and you say she's already starved and weak. Go with just the warmth, I'd say."

"Right." Grams separated the shirts, and began working. When they were done, she put them in her pack. "Can you think of anything else?"

"Nope. You know more about her than we do. Um, what should we tell the ones who know the classified version of her condition?"

Grams thought for a bit. "Balgruuf needs to know everything, of course, and Titus. The rest, just that she's recovering, and it'll be a slow process but we don't know how long. In other words, the truth, just not all of it."

* * *

For the first time since the battle with Miraak, Yssha truly slept. Sahrotaar appeared briefly, as if checking up on her, and she sent him affection before dropping back into the comfortable warmth that was "sleeping beside Marcurio".

When she woke again, Grams was sitting on the bed, and Marcurio was sleeping on a cot. She had to go to the bathroom, but this place didn't have those, so - "Grams, can you help me to the chamber pot?"

"Let me bring it over here. After three months in bed, it's going to take a while before you can even walk across a room."

Once it was in place, she helped her greats-granddaughter get to it, and then back to the bed. Yssha was shaky after even such mild exertion, but managed to get into one of the enchanted nightshirts, and sighed in relief. "Grams, you are a wonder! Thank you."

"My pleasure, youngling." Grams rejoined her after capping the chamberpot and replacing it in its cabinet. "Care for some warm mashed stew?"

Yssha was uncertain, but when Grams held the bowl under her nose, she started drooling. "Yes!"

She wanted to grab the bowl and inhale its contents, but Grams wouldn't permit it. "Easy, youngling, easy. Remember what you've been taught. You'd just spill it, then make yourself sick."

Yes, she remembered, and she was pretty sure the bowl would be empty before she could get it to her mouth. So she let Grams feed her, slowly ... which let her savor the mashed stew. It was more than liquid, but definitely not solid, and the best thing she could remember tasting. It didn't take much before she was full, and sleepy again, so she rested against the pillows.

As she drifted off again, she felt Grams lifting her legs onto the bed and covering her with the blankets.

XXX

Arngeir smiled as Ysshaya - he refused to call her Grams - and Marcurio entered the dining area for supper. "We can provide you with a better meal than we usually have, and we thank you. Actual bread, and pie? We have not had those since coming here. Or fresh vegetables."

"That'll change," Marcurio said. "Family Marcurio owes you a lot. Klimmek could only bring preserved stuff because of having to use the Seven Thousand Steps, but we have dragon transport, lots of gardens, and access to anything we can't grow ourselves."

Arngeir looked dubious. "Our isolation is important to our spiritual growth. We do not wish visitors. If it were not vitally important to the Dragonborn, you would not be permitted here."

Marcurio shrugged. "Isolation may be, but I doubt bad food is. And I'm not saying a bunch of people will be bringing the food. Paarthurnax or one of his Way of the Voice acolytes can be your liaison, bringing us a shopping list and you the supplies."

The Greybeards murmured among themselves, then Arngeir rose and bowed. "We accept your offer, with gratitude. Our vows indeed do not demand poor food."

XXX

Yssha slept, and this time her dreams included a Nord man with a neat, short-cropped beard smiling down at her. Just like on the coins she handled every day. "Lord Talos?"

"Just Talos," he said softly. "You are as much Akatosh's child as i am, briinah. And I am less ... intimidating than he. So I am the one to give you Bormahu's choice, now that you have survived this massive invasion of your soul."

It was only a dream, so Yssha remained calm. "And what choice is that?"

"What to do either now, or after death, if you choose that path." He sighed. "One with your strength of soul is too valuable to lose, you know. You may become immortal, as your vahrinne constantly petition, or become the Tenth Divine if you prefer to die."

Yssha closed her dream-eyes. "Please, go away. I cannot decide that now."

"As you wish, briinah." It sounded like he was smiling. "You have plenty of time. I am with you, and will know your choice when you make it."

That dream faded, to be replaced by others, from the memories forced on her by those she had absorbed after however many other absorptions. That marvelous city she'd dreamed of once before. Diving and flaming Miraak's temple for his sins. Miraak himself, screaming for Hermaeus Mora to save him. Mirmulnir, realizing he would die in the presence of a Dragonborn, and so die forever. Sahloknir, resurrected only to die again almost at once.

She spent most of the next week in much the same way, gradually regaining strength, the presences within her becoming quieter until she could sometimes briefly forget about them. By the end of that time, she was able to stay awake for over an hour at a time, and walk unaided as far as the dining area. She'd graduated to solid food as well, and could feed herself, so she decided to talk to Arngeir about her condition one morning at breakfast.

"Master Arngeir, how am I doing? I appreciate your hospitality and tolerance for Grams and Marcurio, but truly, I would like to go home as soon as you think it safe."

He studied her carefully. "Yes, you would probably recuperate more quickly in familiar - and warmer - surroundings, and you are doing better than I expected. But I fear you may not be allowed the quiet and the calm environment you still need. There are all too many people who think they have a claim on you and your time."

"They'd have to get to her first," Marcurio said. "Our home is well-protected by the Skyguard, and I'm sure dragons won't bring anyone who might disturb her."

Grams chuckled. "Not hardly. They're incredibly loyal once they give their allegiance. Oblivion, it took Kynareth herself to persuade Paarthurnax and a few others to turn on Alduin and help humanity! I'm pretty sure none of the Nine will be interested in turning them against Yssha."

"Odahviing says they worry about me," Yssha said. "He dislikes having me go into danger where he cannot protect me, so I agree they will protect me from disturbance if they know it is necessary."

"A bunch of winged nannies, where she's concerned," Marcurio agreed, chuckling.

Arngeir smiled at Yssha. "In that case, I withdraw my objections. If you can dress yourself in your armor with no more assistance than you normally have, it should be safe for you to return home. But finish your breakfast first; you are still far too thin."

So thin her armor no longer fit properly, Yssha discovered when she put it on, Marcurio helping with the back section. Even with all the straps fully tightened, it was loose ... but as she recovered, that would change. And with Rayya's cooking, that shouldn't take long.

She was sure the Greybeards were relieved when she, Grams, and Marcurio said their goodbyes and went outside, into the courtyard. A few moments later, Odahviing descended without being called.

"It is good to see you again, thuri," he said, dragon-smiling. "We have missed you."

"And I have missed you, as well," she said. "Master Arngeir has released me to go home, as long as no one who wants me to do something is allowed to disturb me." She paused. "And please, if any feldovahhe need killed, do it as far from me as possible. I am ... not ready to absorb more."

He nodded sharply. "Both will be done, thuri. Would you be willing to speak to Paarthurnax for a moment before I take you home?"

That made her laugh, which was a good feeling. "As long as his moment does not turn into the sort of long tinvaak it usually does!"

Odahviing gape-grinned. "He knows you are still recovering, Dovahkiin. I believe he simply wants to reassure himself of your welfare."

"That, I can manage." Yssha mounted slowly, having to use his scales as handholds, but she made it to his neck by herself, followed by the other two.

It was exhilarating being airborne again in reality, rather than in someone's memory or a dream, although the flight was all too short. And it was good seeing Paarthurnax again, as well.

She started to dismount to greet him properly, but he shook his head. "Stay there, Dovahkiin. You are not well, so ceremony may be bypassed for now. It is good to see you awake and able to ride."

"It is good to be able to, my teacher. When I first woke, I was less than sure I would be capable of movement again, much less riding my friend here." She studied the old dragon, and smiled. "Your chin-spike is growing back, is it not?"

"It is. Now that I am again free to roam and hunt as I should be, I am regenerating as a dovah normally does."

Yssha raised her head to the sky and Shouted fire. Not as well as she could have before, but enough to express what she now knew was extreme draconic joy.

Paarthurnax ducked his head briefly, but then looked at her sternly. "Be cautious of using Thu'um until you are fully recovered. A winged dovah would have no problems, but you lack our physical strength, and your ordeal has weakened you even more."

Yssha nodded. "I will, then - emergencies only."

"It is well. It should not hurt you, true, but why take chances?" He paused, briefly, then nodded. "You are becoming tired. Go home and rest. There are things we should discuss, but not just now."

Yssha chuckled as Odahviing took the hint and lifted off, delivering the trio to Lakeview Manor.


	70. Recuperation

Chapter 70 - Recuperation

When they landed and Freyr ran toward them, shrieking in joy, Yssha couldn't help wincing. Fortunately, Grams caught him and picked him up. "Shush, youngster. Mama's home, but she's still sick. You need to be quiet around her."

"Okay, but can I ... hug her?"

"Of course." Grams put him down, and Yssha knelt so he could reach her. She hugged her son tightly, then he said, "Mama, you look awful!"

"I know, dearling. That happens when you are as sick as I have been." She licked his cheek. "I am glad you did not see me a week ago. I could not even sit up by myself, much less get out of bed."

The boy nodded solemnly. "I be quiet. You get better fast, okay?"

"Okay, son. As quickly as I can."

* * *

Yssha met Odahviing the next morning, wearing full armor and surcoat. When he crouched for her to mount, he asked, "Alone, thuri?"

"Geh. I am in no danger with you, fahdoni. A slow cruise, please, to help me reorient. And then a visit with Paarthurnax." That was all she wanted to say with other ears to hear, but what she wanted was a conference with her dov mentor.

"Very well, thuri. Whiterun first; there is a new structure there you may wish to see."

"All right. I am in your hands, fahdoni." She paused, chuckling. "Claws, rather." She climbed to his neck. "I am ready."

Even a relatively slow flight to Whiterun didn't take long, and the first thing she saw was a very familiar-looking tower on the far side of Dragonsreach. Her dreams had shown her many like this, and she grinned as Odahviing approached and circled a perching Fusmulgar. A dragon tower! That was wonderful, and a good omen.

"The King wishes to speak to you," Fusmulgar called.

Yssha thought quickly. That might not be a bad idea, as long as he didn't want anything from her. "All right," she replied, and nudged Odahviing toward the Great Porch.

She dismounted carefully, surprised when a guard ran forward to offer her his arm. "Welcome, Ysmir. Let me help you down the stairs."

"All right - thank you." His help was welcome, she realized as they descended. She could have made it on her own, she thought, but ... the help did make it easier.

When she approached the throne, King Balguuf took one look at her and scowled, starting forward. "Great Divines! What are you doing out of bed, girl? You look awful!"

Yssha bowed. "Trying to regain my strength, my King. I cannot do that in bed."

He settled back. "True. Just be careful. Now ... dragon rumor has it you have news for me?"

"Hmm?" Oh, yes, but that seemed ages ago. "Your Highness has a ... not new, but being restored, race in your realm. I was given a Shout to restore Falmer to what they were before the Great Betrayal, and the Restored call themselves Odmer."

Balgruuf laughed. "And I was wondering what you would do after you turned the dragons friendly. Turning the Falmer into Odmer, is it?"

Yssha's eartips burned with embarrassment. "It is not me, Highness. I am merely the agent the Divine Akatosh has chosen to work through. The Shout was His gift, and you are unlikely to see many Odmer. They have learned, over the millennia, to prefer living underground. But the ones I have restored are no longer hostile, and they are now a most attractive people. Imagine an Altmer, with ice-blue skin and snow-white hair, and you will have a good idea. I will be restoring others as I encounter them, but that must wait until I am stronger."

"Another service you're doing me, Dragonborn. But I have no more rewards I can give you, unless you will accept just my gratitude. Just don't push yourself too hard."

"Greats-Grandmother is supervising my recuperation, my King, so you need not worry." She smiled and changed the subject. "I was most happy to see Fusmulgar is now occupying a proper dragon tower instead of monopolizing your Great Porch."

"Oh, she still spends a lot of time here, mostly with Farengar. But you'll be seeing more towers; as soon as towers for the dragon and quarters for the men are built, the Skyguard commanders want to post at least one team in each hold capital."

Yssha smiled. "I am glad to hear it. I have dreams of dragons and all of Tamriel's other races working and living together, and not just as a military force."

Balgruuf gave her a bemused look, then a grin. "With all you've achieved so far, Ysmir Stormcrown, I have to believe you'll manage that, too. It's even less of a stretch than imagining you turning our worst foes into allies and even friends, since we have the Skyguard example."

"I must get to my original destination, if you will excuse me," Yssha said apologetically. "Odahviing brought me here to show me Fusmulgar's tower, and she said you wished to see me. But I am truly on my way to confer with Paarthurnax."

"Go, go!" Balgruuf rose from his throne to help her up the stairs to Odahviing. "Don't worry about anything but getting well," he told her as she prepared to mount. "You'd be a great help in many ways, and both the Emperor and I have tasks you specifically are needed for, but you're the one who has to determine when you'll be able to do them."

"Yes, my King."

* * *

"Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin, Odahviing," Paarthurnax said when they landed near his Word Wall. "It is good to see you up and around, Dovahkiin, but should you be either flying or alone?"

"I am not alone," Yssha pointed out. "And I am strong enough to ride without difficulty." Mounting was a different story, though. She sighed. "I need your wisdom, wuth fahdoni, if you would be so kind."

"Whenever you wish, malbriinah. What is on your mind?"

"I have a decision I must make. I know what Odahviing and my other vahrinne would have me do, but ... " She took a deep breath before continuing. "Talos came to me in a dream, and told me Bormahu offers me the choice of immortality or divinity. Personally, I do not find either particularly attractive. Until now, I have fully expected to die, probably in battle, and I have been assured I would be welcomed in any realm of Aetherius. After experiencing Sovngarde, that is something to look forward to, not dread."

"Aetherius is a form of immortality," Paarthurnax pointed out, "simply in another plane of existence. What objection do you have to becoming immortal in Mundus?"

"That my loved ones are mortal, and I would lose them all to a place I will be unable to go. Divinity would let me be with them in Aetherius, but then I would lose my vahrinne, just as permanently, because they cannot go there. So either way, I lose one of my families."

"I see the difficulty," Paarthurnax said. "May I point out something you may not realize?"

"Please. I am hoping you know something that will help me decide, since I must."

"What you may not realize is that dov nature is such that the vast majority require a thur. Some very few do not have that need, but ... how long did it take for Odahviing to give you his allegiance once Alduin was dead?"

Yssha would never forget that time. "Immediately after the memorial was finished. And it was - I believe, since I had been poisoned in the interim - three days later that he brought Dovgrahaak to me."

"And all but a few have - excuse the term - flocked to you since, and become much like you. You will not become like Alduin, since you have joorre and dov alike praying to Bormahu that you be protected from that, and that is the sort of prayer He grants joyfully. Alduin did not have or even want that, and a third thur may not either. As long as you remain with them, peace between joor and dov is probable, perhaps even inevitable. Leave them, and a thur like Alduin may again arise."

Yssha sighed deeply. "I never had any desire to rule, you know. Just to enjoy my adventuring time, then have and raise a family like anyone else. But I cannot leave my vahrinne to another possible Alduin." She felt tears rise, and blinked them back. "So I must become a dovah in that way, as well."

The flaming dragon she'd seen in the Soul Cairn joined them, along with the neatly-bearded Nord, who was smiling at her. "If you had wished such power, briinah, you would be unworthy of it." He chuckled. "It would surprise my biographers and historians that I felt much the same, but I couldn't afford to let anyone know it. If my enemies had found out, it would've been taken as evidence of weakness. You don't have that problem. But you've been gone too long, and the Empire needs you."

He turned and bowed to the flaming dragon. "By your grace, Bormahu?"

"Of course, kuli." Cool flame enfolded her as Akatosh spoke, His voice soft but commanding. "Be Well, Moni."

Yssha shuddered as residual pain and fatigue vanished, leaving her feeling as well as she had before facing Miraak. "Thank you, Bormah. And thank you for ... taking Alduin's soul and those he held. I could not have withstood that."

"No. I was reluctant to impose even Miraak and his on you, but you needed the experience, the ... tempering. You will find the reason later."

She bowed as well as she could on dragon-neck. "I believe I begin to understand, Bormah. At least a little."

"Your understanding will grow."

The two Divines vanished, and Yssha took a deep breath. She had made an irrevocable choice, one she couldn't have made differently, but that didn't mean she liked giving up eternity with her joor family in favor of her dov one.

"Go home, malbriinah," Paarthurnax said quietly. "Stop at the Hofkahsejun to reassure them, then you need the comfort of your relatives."

"Geh, lotzeymah. Thank you for your help."

"I am glad I was able to assist you."

* * *

Odahviing landed on the Great Porch and Yssha dismounted easily, smiling at the Whiterun guard who hurried up to offer his arm. "Thank you, but I am well now."

He stepped back, looking at her in awe before he bowed. "May I have your blessing, Ysmir?"

Yssha hid a sigh, his request reminding her of a line from "Song of the Dragonborn": _Dragonborn, for your blessings we pray._ But she nodded, holding up her hand as a priest would. "Blessings of the Nine upon you, kendov." A brief pale yellow aura touched him, and he smiled.

"Is King Balgruuf still holding audience?" she asked then.

"Yes, Ysmir."

"Thank you." She descended the stairs, then hesitated. Balgruuf was surrounded by courtiers, demanding answers about what they had heard from the Throat of the World. She waited till things quieted down a bit, and caught Irileth's eye.

"Ysmir!" the housecarl exclaimed.

"Ysmir?" Balgruuf rose, approaching Yssha, then stopped. "Great Divines - what happened!"

She bowed. "My King, it seems I was not ... permitted to remain physically weak any longer, so I was granted the healing I needed. I am at Skyrim's and the Empire's service once again."

"That part is good, but ... how?"

She shook her head. "I cannot say, just yet. Later, perhaps. But I was told to reassure you, then return home to continue the ... mental part of my recuperation."

Balgruuf studied her, then nodded. "I see it in your face, my young friend. So you are not yet in full service, here at least. I've been through battle-strain, and the only thing that heals that is quiet time. Blessings of the Nine upon you. Now go rest, and that's an order from your King."

Yssha bowed, smiling. "Yes, my King."

* * *

This time, when Freyr greeted her with a shriek of joy, Yssha picked him up and licked his cheek. "It is good to see you, son. How are you doing?"

He kissed her nose and giggled. "Good, mama. Beau'ful mama. Got any toys?"

Yssha laughed. "Not right now, but I will bring you some later. I promise."

"'Kay. Go fish now." He grabbed a fishing pole propped against the side of the house and ran toward Lake Ilinalta, while the rest of the family approached her.

"All right," Grams said. "When you left here, you were skin and bones, and now you're your old self. What happened?"

"Inside, please." When they were all inside and seated around the main hall's dining table, with drinks for everyone, she began. "It started several days ago, I think, when Talos appeared to me in a dream ... "

She spent over an hour explaining things, then sighed heavily. "I am sorry. But I was given only those two choices, and ... preventing another Alduin seemed more important than my desires to remain with this family."

"It's nothing to apologize for," Grams said. "For what it's worth, I think you made the right decision. But does that mean you won't die at all, or that you will die if you take enough damage, but come back like dragons do? It can't be like vampires, who turn into dust and don't come back at all."

"I do not know," Yssha admitted. "Making the choice upset me enough that I did not think to ask."

Marcurio shrugged. "I'm not sure it even matters, and we'll find out eventually. It's a wonder none of us has been killed already. Divines know we've all come close!"

"And the war's getting hotter," Nevan added. He looked at Grams, Serana, and Marcurio. "She's physically recovered, so she's going to get called on. She deserves to know what's been happening."

"How bad is it?" Yssha asked. "King Balgruuf ordered me to rest, so he will not call on me if it can be avoided, but that may not be possible."

Grams sighed. "Let me give you the good news first. The Mane has reimposed the Riddle'thar, so it's Elsweyr again, and a nominal part of the Empire. Hammerfell is negotiating to have some Skyguard assigned there, and they're hinting that they might be willing to talk about rejoining if the Empire proves strong enough to defend them."

"And the bad?"

"Thalmor are on the attack in southern Elsweyr, where the Skyguard scouts can't see through the trees. They're also attacking Cyrodiil through Valenwood, but once they're out of the woods, they lose the stealth advantage, and the Skyguard and Legion are keeping them pretty well at bay.

"The Blades are still at the recruiting and training stage, and their numbers are too small to be much help yet. Delphine and I are working as fast as we can, but training for assignments where your looks give you away is tricky. The Skyguard is spread thinner than anyone likes, and you've already got all the dragons except Paarthurnax's few and the wild ones.

"The worst problem, though, is infiltrators and assassins. Thalmor in civilian clothes look just like ordinary Altmer or Bosmer, and quite a few Khajiit still see them as saviors, despite the Mane's cooperation and my subversion. That's the bad part about having a mixed population - our urban areas are easy to infitltrate, even the larger courts where most people don't know each other."

"What can I do to help?"

"You were ill so long that a lot of people believe you're dead, so boost morale by circulating and letting it be known you're alive and well. And if you can figure out some way to double or triple the Skyguard dragon numbers, that would be a tremendous help."

Yssha frowned at that. "I could petition Bormah, but what would they eat? Dragons have huge appetites, you know."

"Tamriel is large and sparsely populated, except for the actual cities," Marcurio pointed out. "We see lots of game and predators every time we walk someplace, and I'm pretty sure they'd be as happy with a bear as with a deer."

Grams nodded. "That, and farmers are starting to raise more cattle to trade. I don't think you'll need to worry about feeding your vahninne, youngster. And that's just in Skyrim."

Nevan raised a hand. "Thuri?"

"Yes?"

"This may be a stupid question, but did Alduin raise all the dragons?"

"I do not know," Yssha said thoughtfully. "I believed so, certainly, but I cannot be positive." She rose and went outside, then called Odahviing.

"Geh, thuri?" he said, when he landed.

"I must find more dovahhe, if that is possible," she told him. "Did Alduin raise all of them?"

He snorted a laugh. "Nid, Dovahkiin. Most here in Keizaar, geh, but Taazokaan is far greater than just Keizaar, and Akavir was our home for ages before we spread here. If you wish more vahriinne, they will be easy to find. Your only difficulty will be knowing the dovah's name. If you even must, the way Bormahu favors you." He paused, then gape-grinned. "Try calling them as Zeymah or Briinah. Curiosity alone may bring them forth. We are as bad as you Kaazze that way."

Yssha chuckled. "I have noticed, as when you first came to my call. And I am glad you did."

"So am I, thuri. Shall we go see if we can find a dragon burial place?"

"Yes, but stop by Headquarters first. I wish to be called when any are found, so I must tell Franken or Dovgrahaak so."

Odahviing gave her a curious look. "You will not simply call him? He would come, you know."

"He and Franken are fighting a war," she replied, "while I am on convalescent leave, my only responsibility being to recover. We go to them."

He gape-grinned, but it was wider than usual, more like a smile. "Geh, thuri. Daar los onik." He extended his wing.

Yssha mounted, settling onto his neck as the rest of her team followed. It was good to be here, with them - it made her feel almost normal.

Well, until Odahviing took off and they achieved altitude. Then other dragons appeared, unpartnered, one taking position ahead of and below them, two others forming a V with Odahviing at the point. Glancing back, she saw a fourth above and behind, this one with riders. She'd have to hold her curiosity until they landed, thanks to the wind-roar, but she couldn't help wondering.

When the group neared Skyguard headquarters, the other four dragons tilted wings in unison, and flew off to the right, leaving Odahviing to land alone in the courtyard. When she dismounted, she asked, "What was that, aside from very well practiced?"

"A squadron formation," he replied. "It has proved effective against the Thalmor, so we use it when we have enough dovahhe available. You will always have one."

Something else that had changed while she was ill. That was good; it proved the Skyguard was functioning under its commanders without her guidance, as she had hoped, though she didn't care for this particular development, where she was concerned.

She and her team entered Headquarters, asking after Franken, and were directed to what had been Elenwen's office. He rose from his desk when they entered, smiling widely. "Ysmir! It's good to see you again."

"And you," she replied. "I see you have made progress in my absence, such as the squadron formations."

Franken grinned. "That was Dovgrahaak's idea, not mine It allows the low-point to Shout, then the mid-vee, and if anything's left for him, the high-tail. Nothing we've gone against so far takes more than that, but if we have to, there are contingency plans to strengthen all three levels, or go to more. If we had more dovahhe."

Yssha smiled. "I am well enough to help with that. Please, have any Skyguard who sees a dragon burial place anywhere in Tamriel call for me. I have been informed that the Empire's greatest need at the moment is more dragons, so I must see if I may acutally resurrect the ones Alduin did not. And if they are willing to accept me as thur."

"Gladly! We've got plenty of former Stormcloaks still hoping to be chosen for a dragon team, and other races trickling in. Not so many mer, but Argonians, Khajiit, Imperials, and a few Redguards born in Skyrim. Even a couple of blue-skins calling themselves Odmer."

"Odmer? Exposing themselves to sunlight? That surprises me."

"I'm glad of them. They don't particularly care for the sun, true, so they've become our night patrols and scouts. Damn good ones, too."

Yssha smiled. "I was told most would wish to remain secluded underground. That some choose to come above gives me hope."

Franken chuckled. "_I _hope most of their women stay home. They're entirely too attractive to my men, if we want to remain combat-effective."

Yssha laughed. "They are, yes. Well, let me know if any dragon remains are found. Otherwise, I am commanded to rest, so I shall return home to obey. And please - I do not need an escort. I am quite safe with Odahviing and my team."

"You were out of commission for over three months," Franken said. "That doesn't sound very safe to me - or to the rest of the Skyguard, for that matter."

"I was ill, not injured, and no one could have prevented that illness. It happened after we had already won our battle with Miraak. I suppose it could be considered an extremely bad case of mental indigestion, when I absorbed more souls at once than I could handle."

"Mental indigestion, huh? All right, I'll tell everyone you don't want an escort, but I don't know how much good it'll do."

"I know. Dragons and Nords are both stubborn when they decide on something." Yssha sighed, then left for home, escorted again. It was a waste of resources, she thought, but refusing what they thought was help might be bad for morale.

* * *

She'd been home less than two hours when she heard a dragon calling her. "Dovahkiin, wah zey!"

She abandoned supper, heading upstairs for her armor and weapons. Going outside, she found Odahviing waiting, and seconds later, when the rest of the team emerged, they mounted. And, at altitude, were joined by an escort.

Odahviing took them west, toward Cyrodiil, following the sound of the dragon's voice. It was circling just beyond Pale Pass, and landed as they got closer. Yes, a dragon mound, Yssha thought as Odahviing went into a hover nearby. She had no idea of the dragon's name, so she tried Odahviing's suggestion. Most dovah were male, so - "Zeymah, Ziil Gro Dovah Ulse!"

The mound heaved, and after a few minutes, a dragon skeleton broke through the surface. She Shouted again. "Slen Tiid Vo!"

The dragon began reconstituting himself, the opposite of one's dissolution when she killed it, and she was amused to hear Nevan obviously cursing in astonishment, in a language she didn't know.

The dragon was - blue? She'd never seen one that color before, except for Solstheim's Serpentines, and this was definitely no Serpentine. Perhaps blue was simply rare in a non-Serpentines, like her and Grams' coloring?"

Before she could think further on that subject, the dragon turned to her. "Zu'u - nuz hi ni thur Alduin!"

"Nid. Alduin mahlaan. Zu'u los ok dovahkriid, Dovahkiin."

"Kaaz?" The dragon shook himself.

"Geh," Odahviing said. "Dovahkiin slew Alduin. You know me, Lokbiidaan. I took her as thur that day, and almost all followed soon after."

Lokbiidaan turned to her. "You prefer Common, Dovahkiin?"

"Not really, but those with me are not yet fluent in Dovahzul, so for now, please use it."

He ducked his head. "You are thur by right, and favored of Bormahu indeed, to be able to raise me without my name. What do you wish of me?"

"Go to ... hmm." Yssha signalled her escort to land. "One of these will take you to Skyguard headquarters, and explain everything. If you will join the Skyguard, it would please me."

* * *

_Author's Note: This will be the last chapter in Part I of Yssha's Tale. It's getting a bit unwieldy on my computer, but her story's far from over, so it will continue in Yssha's Tale II: Stormcrown, in a week or two._


End file.
